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Shannon relaxed in Bob's favorite chair. As Shannon and I usually hunt alone, the joys of the social aspects of hunting came as a pleasant surprise. Thunderbird Hunting Club leases between 15,000 and 20,000 acres of the Texas mid-coast, primarily for waterfowl hunting, but also for hog hunting, snipe hunting, crabbing, and spectacular bay fishing for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, sheepshead, and black drum. Co-owners Todd Steele and Paul McDonald, as well as club members— many of whom have become lifelong friends—extended offers to come hunt, fish, or crab with them. To show my appreciation, I prepared lavish wild game and fish feasts at the club, so the membership became an unofficial recipe-testing board, to boot. The bonds of fellowship forged in shared blinds and over shared meals strengthened at each outing. My bond with my husband deepened and strengthened, as well. Witnessing together, close-up, two whooping cranes calling to each other as they slipped in and out of an ethereal ground fog found us holding hands like a couple of teenagers, awestruck by these two majestic lifelong mates dancing their sky ballet. Fishing our way down spring-fed riffles of the South Llano whilst turkeys, doves, deer, and armadillos nonchalantly went about their daily business . . . watching a young coyote chase a butterfly . . . fashioning a duck blind from palmetto stalks along Baffin Bay's sandy shores, then watching the seamless expanse of sea and sky split open with the rising sun as tens of thousands of redheads rose against a melted rainbow-sherbet sky . . . these shared experiences afield brought a deeper dimension to an already rich devotion to each other. We vowed to each other to go afield—together—as often as we can, for as long as we can. The natural world pulses with magic every moment of every day. To witness it, you must be there. The more you immerse yourself in the natural world and open yourself to it, the more of it you will experience. And when you eat delicious meals imbued with those experiences—especially when shared with family and friends—this is living richly, indeed. n S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S • 53