No rest for the wicked

"Fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost....."* - I sang to myself as we walked this brightening day. The waning moon was still overhead, but the morning birds were already singing to welcome in the dawn. It was a perfect cool morning.

This bird symphony - amazing trilling, chirping, and warbling accompanied us as we walked along. The happy songs were punctuated here and there with the crowing of the neighborhood rooster and the squeaky-door sounds of a bird I have yet to identify.

Would that we had time to enjoy morning just a few minutes longer. Although we were up early this day, I had the penultimate graduation ceremony** only a few hours away and DH had exercise and reading and napping to do (yeah, I was a little jealous).

This evening we would drive to Rosebud, through farm country. Fields of hay had been harvested and huge rolled bales of hay were lined up waiting to be moved. We cleared one hill and gazed at dark green foliage - grain just a few feet high - as far as we could see. Among the green fields was one of yellow brown wheat waiting to be cut and a corner near a creek covered in the orange of heaven-planted gailardia.

The recent rains had filled the tanks (ponds to you guys from out-of-state) and streams. Old wooden sheds and barns slowly deteriorated while shiny metal silos and barns gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight. Sturdy brick homes replaced many of the old white wooden farmhouses.

We were on our way to celebrate a graduation with friends and their families along the banks of the local lake. Country dogs wandered as children played and adults jet-skied. We celebrated years of work and talked about future plans.

The sun started to set as frogs made their presence known near the shore. It is a sound I love even as it reminds me the day is almost done.

We drove home (each with a different idea of the fastest way there - it comes down to how many traffic lights can be found on each route. No one wins these arguments, but the driver gets to choose the route.) discussing how much we enjoyed a party where sober adults talked, watched their children, and enjoyed the afternoon outside and where no cell phones were in evidence. We had not really noticed it until I mentioned that I was the only one who took any photographs (with my c-a-m-e-r-a) and we realized - not one cell phone rang or was taken out to snap a photo...everyone was living in the moment. Our Luddite selves were satisfied with two hours of peace and I pulled out my phone to send a text to a friend who was waiting for a late evening chat.

Notes:

*This is an old (19th century) traditional English song made popular by Steeleye Span. A friend introduced me to the group and to this music in the late 1970s. She once fooled everyone at Durty Nelly's Pub in San Antonio - convincing them she was Irish. She entertained the place with a few folks songs, this one included I do believe. A year or so later I saw Steeleye Span in Dublin. You can see a performance here. It is worth listening to the whole thing for the harmony at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqInvZ9hY9Y

** The final ceremony will be that of my nephew. We will watch him graduate in a few weeks - from my old high school.