Standing outside together in the early morning winter still-darkness, staring up at the stars in a moonless sky. The ladle-down big dipper framed by backyard trees.
Blue heron. Kingfisher. Red-breasted Merganser. Delia knows all of their names. Deer, crows and squirrels not to be outdone.
We are calling it “LONG NOODLE DAY”, among other things.
We get up early now, and walk when the sun comes out. We soak it up in our eyeballs to send signals to our brainy bodies when the day starts. Programming ourselves to wind down near nightfall.
Here it is. The second-darkest of the whole year so far.
Sweet dreams.
