A Morning Friend

Oh how I love the early morning before the sun comes up, when the household, neighbors, and most of the town are still asleep. It's the time of day that I cherish the most. It's a peaceful, quiet beginning of a new day, "with no mistakes in it yet" as Anne Of Green Gables would say. I especially enjoy the quiet stillness outside the window. It's cool enough in the evening that we can leave the windows open now. Sometimes the night sounds are startling, like when the coyotes run and bark. But most of the time it's peaceful and the night sounds are pleasant. The crickets are plentiful this year and they make up most of the night sound. But this one fellow's familiar call has been a companion to me on many a morning. It's an Eastern Screech Owl and this is one type of call it makes, called a whinny. I love the soft, gentle sound of it even though I read this is a territorial call. I recorded this this morning while I sat at the window listening.