Evening

 

As I was walking in the evening last week (as I often do), I was struck with how much I love this time of day....

My Dad loves the morning. He likes to get up early and have a period of peace and quiet to prepare for the day. He says it is peaceful.........but to me, mornings are busy, hectic, full of energy and buzzing with anticipation of the day head.

The evening, however. For me, the evening is calm. Peaceful. The universe is winding down. Relaxing. Mellowing out.

So at dusk, after a delicious, home made, satisfying meal, I walk. I like to enjoy silence. I like the face that I cannot hear traffic on the highway. Instead, I hear insects and birds; perhaps the great horned owl that lives in our woods will have something to say.

In the summer, I relish the cooling temperature. I pause to take in the sky; sit in the grass and breathe that amazing farm air.

Often I am joined by my kitty cats; and of course my husband and bestest buddy in the whole world. Sometimes we say nothing at all; sometimes we have some casual, low conversation. We don't want to scare the wildlife. Sometimes we see a doe and her fawn. Sometimes we see the wood ducks and their little chicks floating silently on the pond. Once, I watched for a few minutes as a raccoon climbed into a hole in the side of a hollow tree and disappeared. I like to see my flock of hens going into their coop and settling in for the evening.

I love to see my cottage farm house through the woods; with the lamp light in the windows; and the front porch light. It is just so....cozy. Especially in the cold months. The glow of the windows through the woods promises warm wood heat coziness at the end of an evening stroll.

Evening is my favorite time to ride my horses as well.....I love to bathe them after a ride and turn them out and linger for a while, watching them as then meander out to the pasture, nibbling grass along the way, as the sun sets and the insects sing and a satisfying sense of deep fulfillment, peace, and calm fills me and makes me want to sit there forever, watching my horses graze in the dim light.

Sometimes, I don't even walk - we just sit on the porch and take it in; or sit on the patio. Or, I plop right down in a patch of lovely grass and just lay there in it for a while.

If you have never tried it, do. It is great for relieving stress and relaxing after a rotten day of work.

Have a good one....