About two summers ago I made a theological excuse for my lack of regular blog posts. It had to do with the abundance of fine mountain biking opportunities and made reference to the great Quillen Shinn. Many years ago Shinn described three "texts" for the religious life. These three ways of connecting to the Divine were the Holy Bible, Nature, and Human Nature. Well, thanks to son #3 there is very little time for the solitary pursuit of biking. So, therefore, my "nature text" has to be something else.

I am spending a great deal of time in and around the Charles River, which is right across the street form the parsonage. Thanks to the generosity of my in-laws (Hi Margaret!), we recently acquired a canoe. Sons #1 and #2 are helping me make ample use of it. For folks way down stream (the science museum in Boston and Cambridge, for example) The river here is hardly recognizable. However, it is the Charles, too. It is also quite lovely.

These two pictures are typical of what we see on the river. I should give credit where credit is due and say that they are the work of Son#1. Maybe he's no Ansel Adams yet, but give him time. He is only 7 years old!