Solitude

Today we had one of those wonderful winter days that don’t resemble winter at all. It was a day that gave a glimpse into the possibility and the eventual coming of spring. Our temps were in the upper forties.

It was a beautiful day for a walk down the gravel road. The weather was so mild, I even took off my coat! Yes, for those of you that live in areas that do not experience winter and it’s subzero temperatures…..this was a balmy day.  It was a day to walk, ponder and enjoy the solitude that is a warm winter day in Iowa.

The ditches were running with small streams of water, fed by melting snow from the fields. The fields look barren and brown at this point; but are ripe with the promise of lush green crops that will be growing in them in a few short months. So much of life is like that. There is always the promise of something better even when things look dead and lifeless.

The girls enjoyed wandering about, picking at seeds
that have been uncovered as the snowbanks have been disappearing. They are ever hopeful in their search for any leftover treats from this past summer.
They are usually rewarded for their diligence in the search for those bits of grass and seeds. They somehow know that I also will give in and toss them some slices of bread just to make them happy.

This beautiful day ended the way it began…..quiet, hushed and with a time of solitude. To stand outside; in the waning daylight is nothing short of magical. The stars start coming out to grace the night sky. There is always the sound of the last quiet rustlings of birds settling in for the night.

The girls in their coop, fuss as they jockey for positions on the roost. Distant sounds filter in on the wind of a train whistling as it makes it’s way through the dimming light. It is a lonely sound and makes me wonder where it is going and what kind of load it has.

I loved standing on my porch tonight. I loved enjoying watching as the day came to a close and night closed in. The moon shone brightly over those brown fields. Fields that are ripe with the promise of the coming Spring…… and life was filled with contentment.

There’s a difference between solitude and loneliness.
Maggie Smith
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/solitude.html

True silence is the rest of the mind,
and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body,
nourishment and refreshment.
-William Penn