Just Pondering...

[DDT (12)]

I enjoy the pre-dawn darkness… Quiet, as the rush-hour traffic hasn’t begun to build yet, folks aren’t out & about so early as they are still prying themselves out of bed, if indeed they aren’t hitting the snooze button in an attempt to milk another few minutes of respite and distraction to delay the inevitable. The wind is usually, but not always, calm, the temps cool, it is peaceful… and did I mention quiet?

I really enjoy the early mornings. In various places, I can let my mind wander and imagine what it must be like to live in this place or that… What makes this town different, special, worth living here instead of somewhere else. I figure there are probably equal proportions of happy campers, miserable wage-slaves, and folks leading lives of quiet desperation… just like there are in every town I visit…

How do people wind-up in the places they live? Are they simply there because that is where they were born? Did a new job or promise of a better life lure them there? Again the ratios are probably the same for anywhere as they are for everywhere. I’m here because our girl brought me here… Only rarely is that the product of ‘purpose’ or deliberate forethought, though. I’ve learned that my nature is to prefer to live everywhere, not anywhere in particular… to wander and to wonder…

I always have a gander at our girl during these daily ‘start-up secessions’, resting comfortably on her side-stand under her cover… still sleeping, resting for the day to come. She is such a wonderful combination of finely-tuned machine, beautiful source of pride, faithful companion, source of inspiration, and producer of magic for this curious wanderer and seeker of understanding…

I know her well! I can’t look at her and not see memory-joggers. Little accessories, functional parts, bits of bling, items for comfort or glitz, most of which were given to us by various folks whose paths have intersected with ours at thousands of points along the way.

I think about our beginning, how our time together almost ended, how the generosity and effort of many fine folks combined to keep us on our wondrous trek into the unknown and made much of our incredible time together even possible. Our journey together has been long, eventful, and most satisfying; and, it seems, it will continue on for a while longer. I’m glad.

DDT

[hubcapsc]

I really enjoy the early mornings. In various places, I can let my mind wander and imagine what it must be like to live in this place or that…

Me and the cat and the dog just came back up from the creek where I sat drinking coffee
for a few minutes... I ran the bush hog down there yesterday, the "meadow" (my
niece named it that), and "the poplar grove" (that was me) are like a lawn instead
of tangled undergrowth now and the laurel is in full bloom... We had a flash flood
a few weeks ago, and it brought us a new deck (I'm not making this up) which
I've leveled and placed chairs on... it is hard to beat this "retired" stuff  ...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Early (weekday) mornings in my neighborhood has different aged kids lining up all over the place for the pile of school buses that come and go (and people packing off to jobs).

I loved school in my early days and would actually argue with my mom when she said I had to stay home with the mumps.

But now I'm thinking, man am I glad I've not got years and years of sitting in classrooms (or commuting to work) to look forward to.  My next big decision is to have another cup of coffee, or maybe just lay back down for another short snooze. 

I appreciate our short Springs with cooler weather, before the heat kicks in permanently.

For the relatively short periods when I don't have to run either the heat or AC, I feel like I'm robbing the power companies.... and I like it.

OK, coffee it is.   

[Farside]

  Nice read as always Bruce. I often think the same thoughts as I travel for work thru N FL, S Ga, AL, Ms and LA. Many times I've said I could live here/there but then I think  ??? I don't believe Ginger my lovely wife would give it a chance!  I've found many of spots.   
   When I retire 4-5 years out, if the plan still holds out, I'd hope to catch up on some rides with you to learn of your great experiences. Nice to know you, the Valk Legend, in my mind and I imagine others, that you are/have created for yourself is now making more memories to share, experience.  Prayers for a continued safe journey.