December's Song

Four-thirty comes early in the morning, but I cannot pass up these silent moments of morning. All the curtains are opened so I can take in the fading stars of night and witness the birth of a new day.  A fresh covering of frost outlines the railing to my deck. It is a crisp contrast to the night and will glisten in a short time with daybreak. My white rose bush is void of blooms, but her tender foliage is jeweled brightly in thick green leaves. So many of my songbirds are silent in winter. They are much to busy eating to sing.

December's song is that of the giant redheaded woodpecker. As the mornings blush blooms to a white glow, he begins his song.  Not his exotic call I hear so often at mid-day.  This morning he calls till his mate joins him. He descends his branch and joins her. She has landed on Autumn's castaway leaves.  For a short moment, their song rings out. 

Despite the cold, I have my kitchen window open, giving me a front row seat to the duet. The scent of a hickory log smoldering nearby greets me. It is a pleasant aroma that blends nicely with the ham in my skillet.  Once the morning greeting is complete, each bird takes to a tree, and the percussions begin. First, the sound is in unison. Then a counter beat begins. A Hermit Thrush whistles at the pair.  They ignore him as do I, breakfast is cooked and the morning serenade is over. The nutty aroma of my coffee greets me, and I head to my keyboard to capture the moment.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Cherrie I do believe you are a lover of nature as I am. I also like to view the dark skies before dawn breaks and listen to the dawn chorus. You have given me a glimpse into your living and I enjoyed it very much. The aroma from the coffee smells good too. Lovely write.

Chris

[Cherrie]

Well hang on and I'll pour ya a cup.

[Chris Shaw]

Now that sounds good. Milk no sugar :)

[Cherrie]

Well let me top off your cup:)

[Robert Haigh]

I am rarely up at four-thirty, unless I can't sleep. On those occasions when I can't sleep I often do go to my window and look out at the sky, the horizon and the nearby scenery. Your lines here capture the very essence of the dawning of a new day, with its sights, smells and sounds! I enjoy my morning cup of coffee, but I hope to defer it until at least seven o'clock.

[Cherrie]

Okay you can hit the Snooze for a more agreeable time.

[Lisasview]

Good morning Cherrie,
Loved you short story and find it interesting to read this first thing this morning after being awakened...again!! by the loud sound of loads of birds and roosters..I like to keep the window open as it does provide cool air...for now as it has not gotten as hot as it will be. I do love the birds but I so wish they would start their songs a bit later. Last year we did not hear the lovely sound of birds (our first year in Spain) and I missed them so much as we had their lovely sounds in the States. But because of the amazing amount of rain we had here the birds reappeared, to get the wonderful plentiful food and to continue their chorus.
Lisa, now in Spain

[Cherrie]

Well, I hope to read about your morning serenade.

[Lisasview]

Hi Cherrie,
Perhaps your words have inspired me to write about what goes on here in the morning... Right now I am back on the computer trying to complete and post a poem I wrote a couple of weeks ago...
Really loved your thoughts early this morning,
Lisa, at the computer

[lightsong]

Warm, loving, inviting, alive... I can smell the scents, I can see the scene... You dear Cherrie poured your very heart into this, allowing us to live your moments as if we are You. This is gorgeous and breathtaking... splendid...

[Cherrie]

Thank you 😊 I like this style of writing ✍️ a blending of poetic pulses and a moment penned.
To me this is a very intimate style of writing. It has that easy quiet feel of sharing a cup of coffee with a close friend.

[red93]

Excellent Cherrie a prose-poem I guess. And I can practically taste that ham atm and the sense of good living and loving. Superb.

[Cherrie]

Thank you Tony we have a pretty simple life out in the country. That we love.

[red93]

Sounds good to me Cherrie and the way I have been living recently the simple things certainly have an appeal. I walked past a good old English Fish and Chips Shop last night and was nearly overcome with a wave of pure nostalgia.

[Gee]

Have just read this for a 2nd time and it is as wonderful if not more so than the first time seen

[Cherrie]

I was thinking how the birds change with each month. I really appreciate you taking a second look at this :)

[Temperance]

My dear nature lover….you share your morning scenes in a beautiful way and let us, the reader, enjoy it with you. Thank you for sharing!

[M. J. Smith]

Ah! A stolen moment to oneself! In my house, such moments are rare. I get up before dawn, see to the dog, get the daughter ready for the day, meet the bus. By then it is time to see what my mother needs for the day.
A beautiful moment well described.

[Cherrie]

I hear ya a still moment in the house is gold. And with 9 puppies added in rare. :)

[William Michael Reeves]

Did you just have a similar experience and it brought this back to mind? Was it originally a real experience. I love it when various natural sounds blend and create rhythm. Rain and birdsong usually happens in my mornings. Rain works with everything just like birdsong. I like the song of one bird over the percussion of the two making the trio a quartet with the sizzling of your griddle.

I've been thinking about some short story action myself and this is inspiring.

[Cherrie]

Thank you William. Yes this was an actual event.
I take each moment individually and color it with sound, color or smell. Then layer in the next one.

[William Michael Reeves]

Interesting you said that. Wait'll you read what I started writing this morning. Uncanny. I'm getting a little freaked out by these connections from cyberspace that seem to steer my mind before I know why. You'll see what I mean.

[Patricia Wedel]

A Poet wakes to the songs of the Season when the morning Sun
lies on frosty decks where the Red headed Woodpecker inspects
and Pecks for his morning Continental Breakfast. The scents of
hickory wood burning and Coffee perking creates an orchestrated
performance of a Beethovens Fifth. I do love your vignettes of a
new day dawning. tenderly, Pat

[Cherrie]

So often that is the way it goes when I (we). Have a moment speak to us. The power of it. A moment to share and remember.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Cherry.. it is now three years later and today at Dawn it will be Thanksgiving 2024. Your poetry is as nostalgic as ever. We camped on family land by the woods in Delaware in 1990 in a cabin with a pot belly stove where Hickory nuts crackled. gently, Pat

[Skal]

I can almost feel the breeze of the cold December morning

[Cherrie]

Thank you, I hope to stop by your page tonight. :)