1

Siuslaw River, 1959

In twenty years' time, nothing had changed on the river. Or so it seemed. Although mid June, the sky was gloomy, the color of a weathered tin roof, and the river, a few shades darker, was tinged with mossy green. The surface of the water was serene, barely moving with the ebb tide, and the sounds of birds and a churning boat motor were muffled, hushed by the low-slung clouds. Not a scene that everyone could appreciate, but Anna wished to drink it in, absorb it into her being, and savor it for years to come when she was far from this beloved place.

"So what d'ya think, Anna?" Henry Ackerman shouted over the chugging sound of the diesel engine. "Everything still look all right to you?"

"Yes," Anna assured him. "It feels the same --- not much has changed."

Henry nodded as he guided the old boat along, greasy felt hat pulled low over his shaggy brows, peering intently at the water, just as he'd done for decades. Henry, like the river, hadn't changed much. Older maybe, and a little more grizzled if that was possible, but the easy smile and friendly demeanor were just the same. She'd known Henry for so long, he seemed like family.

Excerpted from RIVER'S SONG: The Inn at Shining Waters Series, Book 1 © Copyright 2011 by Melody Carlson. Reprinted with permission by Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.