There was no doubt whatsoever that this was going to be an indoor day. Yes, I know that I've staked a claim about taking a daily nature walk and reporting back on what I've discovered, and, in truth, I've been pretty good about doing precisely that. But a fierce nor'easter that the Weather Channel named Riley was railing and raining outside—sigh... we were south of the rain-snow line—and with an increasing downpour of branches, limbs, and whole trees being brought to ground by wind gusts that sometimes exceeded 60 knots, it was dangerous to venture out to fetch the newspaper and the mail, let alone to try to document natural history. Nature would be there tomorrow, as would I, if I remained prudent. So Stasia and I curled up together on her bed and read a wonderful tale about cats that was written and illustrated by my friend Elisha Cooper, whose latest effort was named a Caldecott Honor Book. Rocky, our Manx cat, approved, and we felt blessed to be inside, marveling at the strength and destructive power of the wind.