A rare nature note

[hearthstone]

I saw a blue heron on my way into town last night. It was standing by the side of the road, near the creek about a quarter-mile from the house. I drove by, expecting it to take off, but it didn't. I pulled to the bottom of the hill, looked back and saw it still there, and backed up again, where I watched it for half a minute before it took flight, and flew in front of me for the next half mile or so, swooping back and forth across the road and around nearby fields until it settled at another creek by one of our neighbors. (When you live in the country you have several miles of neighbors. :)) It was very, very cool; I've seen them before at a distance but never this close.