What On Earth Are You Doing?

We are back, intrepid readers, from a five-day trip to Lajitas/Big Bend National Park. We had a very good time. I will provide more detail in due course; right now, unpacking, laundry and cleaning await.  To tide you over in the meanwhile, I offer you the following snapshot from the trip:  can you guess what Herself is doing?  Take your time.  I will explain after the photo.

One afternoon, Herself, Beloved Husband, Offspring the Second, Offspring the Third, and Cherished Friend found a spot along the river to explore.  (Offspring the First remained behind at the camper-trailer, for she was not feeling well.)  The mud was dried and cracked in fascinating layers and formations.  Close to the riverbed itself, tiny green plants -- could they have been clover? -- sprouted here and there through the mud.  Herself selected one of the plants, and dusted and chipped away the mud layers near its root to see how far the root system extended.  For perhaps about ten minutes, she worked slowly and carefully to avoid damaging the plant.  When she was finished, she reburied the roots, tucking the plant gently back into its dried mud layers.

It was a happy moment.  Herself worked on this small plant, safe in the knowledge that the people with her would not mock her for her slightly odd investigation, but would, in fact, come over and admire the plant's root structure if she asked them to do so. There was a small quiet joy in being able to perform a tiny bit of slightly scientific observation, unhindered by self-consciousness. So very rare, to be able to be truly oneself in front of others.

Science and comfortable people: two wonderful things, indeed.