Silently I walk down the path from parking spot to river access. The dog racing ahead and back again with his bird, stopping to sniff, forgetting his toy only to look at me with a questioning look as if to say, "what did you do with my bird?"  We go through the same routine every. single. time.  "Get your bird," "Find your bird." "Bring your bird." He just can't seem to remember but that's ok.  It's just us out here alone soaking up the sun.  The fog is just lifting revealing the pond that is frequented by red wing black birds and occasionally heron if they aren't at the river.  Just a little further I reach the fastest way down the sandy bank to the river's edge.  Wind in the Willows frequently comes to mind but on this beautiful glowing fall day, I catch the dog's excitement.  He plunges into the water, turning around looking at me, begging with his eyes, quivering, finally letting out a high pitched pathetic whine letting me know he is ready for me to throw his bird. His porpoise jumps turn into a swim as soon as it gets too deep and he torpedos out to the bird.  Turning up river he looks as if he's gliding but under the water I know it's a hard paddle.  He reaches the banks and races past me until he reaches the bushes, where he drops his prize, and flops into the leaves rolling back and forth in pure joy.  He leaps to his feet and gallops towards me looking to see if I will throw his bird again. Not seeing it in my hand he plunges back into the river, looking for it.  He turns towards me and looks confused.  Meanwhile I've make my way to where he dropped his bird, kicking over the leaves until I can find it. We play this game over and over again.  If I just toss it so he's only wading, he looks at me like I have betrayed him.  He picks up his bird, lays down in the water and proceeds to push the bird down with his mouth letting it go underwater so it will pop up. He wants to swiI spend 20 minutes wandering up and down the bank. laughing and taking photos, enjoying the autumn air in my lungs. Looking for pockets of light, being in the moment, learning that from my dog, and enjoying to place I've been so often yet feeling like I'm seeing it for the first time. In a way I am, because this moment will pass and I will have to see in the light of the next visit, all new again.