Me and the Moon

Me and the moon are up early. The cats got me up and it's not quite time for moon to be in bed. I marvel at his perfection in full radiance and the shadows of land masses outlined like an atlas on the surface as he drifts in and out of the clouds lighting them god wherever his illumination touches.

There's a cold breeze blowing and the stars hang in the sky like brilliant polished diamonds. All is peaceful and quiet and nothing seems to stir, but me casting a solitary shadow on my front deck and admiring the white outline of snow below and the trees almost black against the horizon.

Good morning God. One by one a light comes on in scattered houses causing gold lit window shapes seen fractionally through the trees and I know I am no longer the only early riser here on the mountain top.

Good morning world. I wonder if they share my fascination with the night receding and a new dawn breaking. Slowly the outline of homes takes shape as the sky lightens imperceptively in gradients. In the house, I only hear the soft ticking of the clock as the moon disappears from view and the sky lightens.

The snow takes on a blue whiteness, even brightening, and the mountains are seen in greater detail. Welcome to you, oh morning, the coming of a new day. Now there are incoming dark gray clouds that the moon, as it recedes, plays peek-a-boo behind and a touch of pink appearing behind the mountains.

The air so cold you can only stand it for minutes at a time before retreating indoors to unchill again. Now the gray clouds and moon have moved on and in their wake are mountains of green backlit by salmon-colored clouds in a light aqua sky.

Day truly is breaking, the birds have begun to sing in joy, the air is the scent of a morning fireplace to warm the inhabitants of a nearby home, and the squirrels will soon be out in search of breakfast. It's time for me to put the bird feeder out.

As the sky deepens to a darker hue more clouds move in from the north and it seems a new snow storm may quickly be approaching and the temperature seems to have dropped even further. The birds are enjoying their morning seed and I will wait and see what the day holds. Whether it's sun or snow I will live it in joy and conscious awareness, as well as gratitude.

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