Morning Solitude

 Early morning light: a photographer's delight, a gardener's wake-up walk, a time for birds chirping, warbling, trilling, and  insects busy to get on with the day's labors. The morning is a time for sorting out the day's activities; a cup of fresh, strong coffee counters the early chill and stimulates the mind.

Sitting on my verdant deck amid fragrant Asiatic and Trumpet lilies, twining golden hops, potted dahlias awaiting the Big Day of the wedding and other colorful flora I listen to the layers of sounds wafting through the air. The constant roar of construction machinery, grinding the earth into levelness, fades in its familiarity over time. It's the bird calls that garner my attention this morning: robins, chickadees, bushtits, Oregon robins, redwing blackbirds, each one with a distinctive tune and flight pattern. Some come to perch on the arbor, others prefer the safety of the gnarly Clematis montana. Most visit the feeders strategically placed around the garden.

The robin family that nested under the eaves on the curve in the downspout flew away earlier, three little robin-ettes braving a world of freedom. There are a few honeybees working the Geranium 'Ann Folkard'. It's so good to see them returning. The lumbering bumblebees roll and twist in the heavy pollen of the Hollyhocks, legs laden with yellow dust. A scurrying creature rustles the undergrowth in one of the parterred gardens, scratching for a snack no doubt.

There is a sweet relaxation to this time of day, its freshness seeping into my soul and refreshing my mind as I appreciate the complexity of a garden, its cycles, its enlargement and beauty. There is an art and a discipline to living deeply in the moment, shutting out past and future thoughts and worries, breathing in the fullness of each passing minute of solitude.

The morning light, full of promise for another productive day, nourishing the growth around me, and feeding my need for Vitamin D fuels me for another round of watering, weeding, bouquet-gathering and general peaceful satisfaction. It balances the call of a busy schedule and composes me for the activities ahead. Morning solitude ~ the best way to start the day!