By Sun and Candlelight

A (Mostly) Quiet Sunrise with Earlybird

One of our "spring learning" activities this week was to spend a quiet morning outside, watching the woods and waiting for the sun to rise. We did this on Tuesday morning, and it was just magical ...

We crept out to the deck just before six (the sun was set to rise at 6:09).

Earlybird brought his binoculars so he wouldn't miss a thing ...

As we waited, we saw (and heard) ducks flying overhead, a lone crow passing over as well as a flock of squeaky blackbirds.

There was a single chickadee serenading us from the maple tree - we tried to answer him in kind, but he fell silent once we did.

We could hear morning traffic passing by on a neighboring street, and the coffeemaker beeped at 6:07.

The woods crackled in anticipation as a stiff wind (and a few squirrels) moved through ... 

 And then suddenly, there was a faint light ...

EB spotted it first!

A vivid orange glow at 6:09 - like a burst of flame in the trees:

Sunrise. 

We gathered our blankets and headed back inside - a little hungry, a bit chilled, but quite refreshed and invigorated. It was such a nice way to start the day ...

Hope your day unfolds just as nicely. Have a good one, my friends!

:)

Evening Moment

Sunset, 1/4/11, 4:25 p.m.

Walking through the house, picking up this, putting away that. Listening to the sounds of day's end ... dishwasher's running, heater's humming, a timer's ringing: somebody's "game time" is up. Pulling the blinds in the dining room windows, I'm struck by the scent of paperwhites, and stilled by a soft glow through the trees. This moment I keep to myself.

A pleasant thought before bed ...

"If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God." ~ G. K. Chesterton

What made you smile today?

:)