On August 3, I had the privilege of being at Jordan Lake for the release of this adult Bald Eagle back into the wild.

After that first magnificent flight, however, the eagle apparently had other plans. Instead of simply disappearing into the distance, it headed for the shoreline and gave us a rather memorable post-release bathing session — complete with wet feathers, an unforgettable expression, and a wing stretched out to dry.

My thanks to the Carolina Raptor Center for the care and rehabilitation that made this return to the wild possible, and to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area for providing a safe place for the eagle’s release.

And my apologies for the delay in sharing these photographs. Computer glitches kept me from posting them when I had planned, but this was one homecoming I still wanted to share.

August 3, 2026 — Jordan Lake, North Carolina

A quiet morning. Bare toes curled over the edge of a porch step. And memories of some of the places those bare feet have taken me.

This Sunday’s Open the Door story is Toes — What my bare feet remember.

Listen beginning Sunday at 5:00 AM at docellen.substack.com.

Bounce. The whole nest shook.

Two young Bald Eagles. One increasingly small nest. And wings that are almost ready to carry them into a much larger world.

This week’s Open the Door follows those youngsters from bouncing and branching to that first extraordinary leap into open air.

🎙️ Bald Eagle Bounce — Leap from Nest to Sky

Listen free at: docellen.substack.com

🦅 TWO REHABILITATED BALD EAGLES WILL BE RETURNING TO THE WILD! 🦅

There’s always something special about watching a rehabilitated bald eagle return to the wild.

This time, it’s DOUBLE the celebration.

Two bald eagles—one adult and one juvenile—have successfully completed rehabilitation at the Carolina Raptor Center in Huntersville, just north of Charlotte, and will be released back into the wild on:

🦅 Monday, August 3 (weather permitting)

🕦 Gates open at 11:30 a.m.

📍 Vista Point Boat Ramp, Jordan Lake State Recreation Area

🚫 Please leave all drones at home. Drones are not permitted at the release.

If you’ve never witnessed a bald eagle release, it is an experience you’ll never forget. Seeing one magnificent bird reclaim the skies is unforgettable. Watching two bald eagles take flight during the same release event promises to be even more memorable.

Please note that the photographs accompanying this announcement are NOT of the two eagles being released. They are representative images from my own photography.

I hope many of you will be able to join us as we celebrate the successful work of the Carolina Raptor Center and welcome these magnificent birds back where they belong—in North Carolina’s skies.

The answer was rocking chair.

Some of my warmest childhood memories live in one well-worn rocking chair by the window—my mother quietly working the Saturday New York Times crossword, my father “checking for light leaks” behind closed eyelids, my brothers laughing over comic books, and me with a cat in my lap, lost in a book.

If you’d like to spend a few quiet minutes with us, the newest Open the Door audio story is now available.

🎙️ Listen free at:
https://docellen.substack.com

#OpenTheDoor #Storytelling #FamilyMemories #RockingChair #Crossword #NewYorkTimes #SundayStory

Even though nesting season is over, this Great Egret is still wearing the last of its elegant breeding plumes. They trail almost to the branch beneath its feet, and the reddish tint isn’t part of the feathers at all—it’s North Carolina’s red clay, picked up while moving through the marshes and shorelines.

If you’re wondering where the other leg went, don’t worry. Long-legged birds like egrets often rest on one leg, with the other tucked safely into their feathers. Look closely and you can even see the tucked foot resting high against the bird’s body.

Nature has a wonderful way of leaving little clues for anyone willing to slow down and look. Have you ever noticed an egret standing on just one leg?