Thursday 13 June 2013

Early



Waking early in the wild dawn, twenty past four, gazing up at the great stormy cloudbank of the sky, wind-tossed birds, all the house peaceful.

Going downstairs to fetch a bottle of delicious spring water from the fridge – Hildon water, I love it – and an orange juice popsicle from the freezer.  And the last handful of sweet Spanish cherries (our Kent cherries are still shivering, small and green, the summer has been so cold and wet).

This week in our house we have feverish colds – a Godsend, worth the price; it’s left the Badger to ill to drive up to Oxford, so he’s worked from home this whole week.  Where he should be.  And I, burning up and pouring snot, have been obliged to cancel all my people duties, which has allowed me to get on with editing this book – thank God, thank God, it needs all the time I have.  It will be a fine book once the prose is tamed.

That picture at the top is our house, but not this one.  It's a picture of the dawn Hebe took through the window at Gezellig, the tiny apartment we lived in long ago, before the Badger and I got married.  Outside the window a bush grew called Rupert - we knew that was his name, because it's what he used to say in his scratchy little voice, twigs against the windowpane, in the wind.  You can see the shadows of his leaves in the morning light.  After we left no-one trimmed him any more, and he's grown into a massive tree now, right up beyond the ridge tiles.  Some kind of hazel or willow, I'm not sure what.

But this sunrise from this window is different.  Look:




Why does getting up in the quiet dawn always feel like Christmas?


11 comments:

Buzzfloyd said...

Beautiful!

People in your house seem to have colds almost constantly! Are you all working too hard? Hope you feel better soon, anyway.

Pen Wilcock said...

This is the first cold I've had in ages. I've escaped so far. It's been this winter. One particular bug has kept circling round and round - Grandmary, Tony, Hebe, Fi - a bad cold and cough that keeps coming back. Then - I think because he's got a bit weakened by it - Tony got this new cold, and that's what he passed on to me.

Donna said...

Those pictures are beautiful, they really bring a sense of that early morning calm. If only I could shift my body clock enough to see it for real!

Pen Wilcock said...

:0) I think it will happen naturally when you get to middle age. You will probably wake up earlier and sleep less altogether. I remember when I was 18, when I lived with some monks in Devon, one of the monks (who was 45) telling me he found he needed more rest but less sleep. He used to get up early (about 5) and light the Rayburn, and just sit quietly. It's the same with me nowadays. I'm usually awake by 5.

Pilgrim said...

Getting up early seems like Eden, to me...
Very interesting post you linked to, with the word history. Reminds me of the song "Scorn Not His Simplicity. Gives the song more depth.

Pen Wilcock said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTBC7ckTWpo

xx

Buzzfloyd said...

You can't catch the same cold bug after you've already had it, they're all succumbing to different viruses each time. They probably aren't really getting a chance to recover inbetween bouts.

Julie B. said...

I hope the worst is over -- it's rotten to have another bout just when the old one seems to be on its way. This was a lovely post, Ember. I got up this morning and had what I was craving: a crisp, Red Delicious apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter to go with it. And lemon water. I think I'd like to try an orange popsicle soon, though. xo

Pen Wilcock said...

I am BETTER! I woke up this morning feeling FINE. Odd though - I have been rollinmg along feeling all well and zingy, then every so often suffering total mega-wilt and . . . urgh . . . I feel rough . . . for a few minutes - then off I go again, all bright and sparkly. Odd.
Good to see you back - hope you are keeping on top of the post-op pain and that the exercise are going well. xx

Anonymous said...

Because His presence is felt in the early dawn, when the world is awakening from slumber. A metaphor of our life?

I am also suffering from a summer cold. It has knocked me down completely. :( Feel better Pen. m.

Pen Wilcock said...

May you soon be completely well xx