I love open windows during the summer months inviting the sounds of nature into our bedroom. Our
rooster, a stout fellow with elegant tail feathers, sounds the wakeup call
at four AM. He’s usually accompanied by a
chorus of chipper song birds. Together, their melody gently nudges me to wake.
Yet, I’m not ready to open my eyes. Lying still I let my other senses absorb the
early morning. The cool air brushes
against my bare shoulders and carries the scent of the wet grass. Without any effort, I can hear the curtains
flutter against the sills and the low whoosh of a distant car carrying somebody
to an early shift, and then, the pounding of hooves galloping full tilt!
‘Am I dreaming?’ my brain doesn’t register the sound
as it drifts away. ‘Was that thunder? I
don’t hear rain.’ My eyes stay closed
and I fall into a light sleep. The hammering
hoofs come back. I got it now! It is a horse running. I listen more intently. The sound fades only to return with earth
shaking force. Why would I be hearing a horse outside my
window? It finally clicks. I open my eyes.
Jumping out of bed, I run to the window catching Dusty, our
equine equivalent of a little rascal galloping, kicking and bucking. He’s having his own celebration to the
beginning of a new day. I start
replaying the previous evening lock-up routine.
I must have forgotten to chain all the gates.
Dusty makes a game out of lifting latches with his
teeth or bumping them with his muzzle until they open. He can even slide open our big heavy barn
door.
I quickly dress
and run outside to round-up the escapee.
He sees me coming and knows it’s feeding time. “It’s about time you got out here”, he’s
probably thinking. From the look of my
lawn he’s been out for a while. Beaming
with pride, he walks with me to the barn, ready to be put back in his paddock
with his herd mates. I feed everyone,
and this time I make sure every gate is chained.
- Trish
