Feeding the trumpeter swans...

Washago, Ontario is the most inspiring place in the world for me. Four of the ten books I've written include this railway junction town between their covers; The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge is set almost entirely around Washago. Here is another reason why the place is so magical: trumpeter swans. On three occasions in the past week, we have fed these magificent waterfowl out of our hands (cracked corn). I counted 48 of them a couple of days ago. I told my two sons that the moments spent with the trumpeters up close are worth more than an entire day in a classroom. All over North America, kids mostly know these birds as pictures in a textbook. Not the case here, in Washago. That's Mary-Jo with her hand outstretched. We now have about 51 lbs. to go in our 55 lb. bag of cracked corn...