morning
Sunday Morning Ride
It would have been oh-so-easy to stay home this morning, cozy in my robe and slippers … but a date is a date, and it’s Sunday morning, which means bike ride. Dressed in double layers on top, full leggings, long-fingered gloves, thick socks, and a wind shell, we set out into the chilly fall morning. WooHoo, was it brisk! My core warmed up quickly, but my fingers and ears stayed frosty throughout the ride.
How invigorating. Rewarding. Fun. I am oh-so-glad for the ride!
Sunday is off to a marvelous beginning.
Front Porch Morning
Summer mornings are peaceful at my house. All mornings are actually, but the summer at 6 AM is a special time to enjoy. The air is simply delicious—fresh and cool and inviting. With a cup of coffee, I head out to the front porch. First I must check to see that the resident frogs are not hiding under the cushions on the couch. I don’t know why they seek shelter on the couch, but there they are most mornings. Assured that it is a frog-free zone, I can settle in.
How delightful it is! A rooster from a far-off neighbor greets the brightening sky. Some mornings I can hear the coyotes howling as they sign off for the day. As I sit quietly, the sun slowly ascends, illuminating the sky and lighting up the treetops. Over several minutes, I witness the subtle change from dawn to day. In harmony with the morning, I feel my own energy shift internally, as I transform to what will soon become my daytime vigor.
But it is the birds that lure me out at 6 AM, day after day. Ah, the birdsong! Variety is the spice of life, and we have it: Grosbeak, Robin, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Finch, Stellar Jay, Woodpecker—acorn and my personal fav, the pileated—and some mornings if I am really lucky, I can discern the call of a Kingfisher up on the irrigation canal that meanders through the forest. The birds serenade me, they sing to celebrate the new day, their various sounds merging into one fantastic symphony. I breathe, I quiet, and I breathe some more. I express gratitude for this gift of nature—the sunrise, the forest, the fresh air, and the birds. My heart is filled with joy! I am ready to jump into my day.