Early Morning

I enjoy waking up early and taking my first cup of coffee out to the front porch. I live on a quiet, tree-lined street in suburbia. The view is really very ordinary; except it is my view from my porch and so it is special. The sky is a beautiful soft blue this morning. Big, puffy cumulus clouds float overhead. I try to figure out just how many shades of green I can count, but there are too many and I give up. Green has so many variations. It is not a quiet morning. The birds are singing their glorious morning symphony. If my husband were here he would identify the different bird voices, but he is still asleep. I see a mockingbird doing a happy morning dance along a tree branch. On the driveway below there are two starlings squabbling about something. A rabbit is enjoying breakfast in my flower garden. Except for the birds, all is quiet. Later folks will start their cars and leave for work. Later school children will walk up the hill with their backpacks and laughter. Later the neighbors will mow their lawns and hammer nails into home repair projects. Later the neighbor boy will practice his trumpet. But not yet. Now is time for birdsong and peace. I love early morning.