My favorite days are when they close roads to cars and the pedestrians take over.  In Seattle they have a Summer Streets Day in each neighborhood when this happens.  it is glorious to revel in the  open space and the quiet.  So much of our lives are filled with noise that to have it silenced is a remarkable and peaceful event.

On Saturday our family rented canoes at the UW Waterfront.  It just happened to be on a day that the 520 bridge was closed; meaning that trip to and from and around Foster Island on Lake Washington was remarkably quiet.  There was not the whir of traffic, or the jostling of the bridge joints as cars went over the freeway to Montlake.  Instead it was mostly quiet , just the sound of the red wing blackbirds, the quacking of ducks, and the calls of Canadian Geese as we paddled past. 

I was slightly nervous about taking two children out in a canoe.  Due to UW waterfront policies each boy had to ride in a separate boat with a separate parent— as there is a three person limit for canoes and the four person rowboats were all checked out.   However, the boys did a terrific job. They each sat in the bow and were very enthusiastic about the short yellow paddles that were provided for them. 

I am thankful that the boys are learning about the Lake Washington ecosystem.  We have hiked much of the area near the waterfront. The boys have even searched for water bugs in the water with nets.  Now they experienced this place by water. They were experiencing it from the other side.  The trip allowed us to see more ducklings and goslings than we could count, a blue heron, red wing blackbirds, and two beaver lodges.  We also saw the long line of cliff swallow nests that lined the sides of the 520 off ramp. 

My wonders are: how do we get all children to know so intimately this place we live in?
Does it change we drive- when we know the amazing world your road is passing through?