I wake at seven.
The sun is just beginning to rise —
not yet over the mountains,
but dawning.
The cool of the night still lingers inside the van,
holding on to the last of the chill.
I open the window
and look out.
A soft glow spreads across the land
touching soil,
climbing tree trunks,
resting gently on branches.
As the light brightens
Morning sun reaches the Ponderosa pine and Douglas Fir,
warming their resin,
releasing that unmistakable scent—
rich, clean, alive.
The Conifer forest breathes it out,
and fills the air with the sent of evergreens
Warmth begins to cascade through everything as the creatures begin their forage
Chipmunks dart through the underbrush,
quick and restless.
Squirrels follow their own scattered paths.
Birds take to the air,
their songs stitching sound into the morning.
A reminder that life unfolds with rush—
light by light,
breath by breath.
A wonderful morning.
