IMPRESSING THE BARON

Out for a walk in the snow with Kaya, who is with us for a few days of relaxation into herself away from the twins, and to let the twins relax into themselves. As we walk, I keep pointing out the tracks the animals have made in the snow during the night: "Here's where Mr. Pheasant walked into the woods, here's where Baron the buck enters and exits his forest grove hideaway" etc.

As we walk along the road, every now and then I stop and point out the Baron's footprints, muse on his comings and goings and doings, when Kaya, rightfully feeling that she's at least as important as the Baron, selects one of the Baron's better footprints and puts her own bootprint in the snow nearby, then places several of her own handprints to surround the Baron's print, much as our prehistoric ancestors put their handprints where it was important for animistic linkage and spiritual continuity with the unknown; it's ancient and it's deep, and Kaya did it instinctively, as it's done best. Like me, the Baron will be impressed.