morning musings

Once again I woke before the alarm that's set to buzz at 5:00 am Monday through Friday. This has become more common now that Persephone's arrival comes closer though seems to still allude our snow covered mountains. Shaking off the dreams of the early morning, I spent some time trying to decipher the sometime disturbing series of seemingly unrelated images where elements of the day choreograph a "must remember to do this" dance - today's musical accompaniment was Dylan's Hurricane. I write for one reason this morning, to recount a lucid moment where in my sleepy early morning state I enjoyed a very simple and enjoyable sensation. Sassy, our 13 year-old Boston Terrier, occasionally wakes while I'm getting ready for work, demanding to be let out to do her business and quibbles for stroke or two behind her right ear, but is usually oblivious to my movements and continues to dispense her unique sounds of deep sleep. This morning was one of those occasions, the undulating buzz of her snoring to which I've come so accustomed, was replaced with the pattering of her four tiny clawed paws click clacking their way around the dining room, living room, kitchen, until she sees me exiting the shower. Experience has taught me that if I want to avoid an evacuation accident, I do not have much time. I hurriedly tie my robe and search for her leash which is generally hard to find being that the children assist in this duty; this morning was no exception but find it I did. It was during this simple moment, taking the dog outdoors, I stopped, listened to the sounds of early morning birds, observed the sun softly illuminating the snow of various depths, spied two enormous black crows rise from the ground, that a simply beautiful and melodic old favorite began to play in my mind, "Black bird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly..."