Joyful noise in the garden

A twilight walk through the back yard frequently ends on the swing. Last night, the birds were particularly vocal, as were the dogs and at least one woodpecker. Pair all of that with the squirrels digging through leaves, and it was a symphony.

Into this score comes the 5-year-old doing her Pavarotti impression. She pulls out some favorites from Sunday school, a few from Christmas programs past and, finally, a selection of her own composition.

While much of our musical attention focuses on the pros, it's refreshing to remember that we should try to find time to focus on the prose of the world around us and the people in it. Not to go all New Age or anything, but it was fun to sit back and listen. It was a little off-key. There were a few verses that trailed off in non-sequitur form into the ether.

But there will never be anything like it on the radio.