I am not one to glamorize or romanticize the complexity of nature. But this image speaks of the connection, uplift and nourishment that I find in its seasonal rhythms and vast open spaces. The eye can wander far. I return year after year, having refused, after a 3-week winter stay in 1971, to go "back to the land" in a permanent way. For me, Malvina is associated with slowing down the pace, rest, restoration, shared parenting, reading, and preparation for teaching. Sharing that feeling with close friends is an extra bonus.