In response to the Daily Post Golden Hour

I am tired, I cannot come up with anything poetic to say today, so here’s a little about me, my life and why I am a morning person.

Growing up on a farm I had a horse that I had to feed every morning before school, I absolutely loved that time out in the pasture in the winter breaking ice in the creek for him, getting his grain or hay.  He would drink from the creek then rub his nose on my coveralls because they were cold.   I can still see the white frost covered trees along the banks of a creek and hear the crunch of the frozen grass under my boots. I loved that horse, a beautiful big Palomino who became almost white in the winter with a coat of extra hair, then a beautiful golden color in the summer…

While in college I was serious into exercise and would go run stairs at the old stadium at around 5:30-6:00 A.M.  Again, loved that early time when all was quiet in town, with my Walkman (yes, I said Walkman) on and Eric Johnson playing Cliffs of Dover in my ears.

  He was the perfect choice as the songs played were perfect for running up and walking down.   One spectacular winter morning the full moon was setting over that old stadium and it was absolutely huge and bright and beautiful.  A big white light against a dark blue sky…

Living in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands after college (my first and what ended up being my last attempt at world travel, and where I thought I would start my wildlife biology career, but after carnival there, thought it best I leave) I worked at a resort in their fitness club and pool-bar waitress.  I held not so great exercise classes early in the morning, hardly anyone came (too hung over I guess) so I usually went and helped the pool guys get ready for the day.  Cool sand under the feet, salt air, and something about being at sea level that just balanced me out…I felt my whole being just relax and equalize.  I was hooked on island living…

When newly married, my husband started a business that I helped him run.  We would travel around the country (and when I say travel, I mean going from one job to the next on a schedule and not my idea of adventure at the time) installing phone, internet, and cable television cable into new construction hotels.  This meant early mornings on a construction site.  The best food truck was in Albuquerque N.M, and the breakfast burritos and coffee they had were the best I ever had.  Big huge things full of eggs, sausage, potato’s, salsa…

Now, no horse to feed or ice to break, no stadium near by to run, no pool boys to flirt with, no construction sites I have to be on, but island living…oh yes, I’m there, but things have changed a bit…

I am now 46 years old with a 3 1/2-year-old in the house (yes, I became a first time mom at the age of 42…not planned…but would not change it, my husband was 52, but that story is a totally different AARP blog) so now mornings consist of getting breakfast and a preschooler dressed and out the door to school, helping with another of my husband’s business ventures, and trying to follow MY path.  I miss my horse, my 6:00 A.M workouts, my mornings spent in reflection, but, and here’s the thing, all mornings led to this one.

This morning, yes I am tired, but I got to drive this girl (who for some strange reason chose me to be her mother)to school on a two lane highway on an island, seeing the ocean on the way, listening to her go on about whales and sharks; and come this fall, my mornings will be spent looking in pastures for endangered seabirds while the sun comes up and the moon sets, the sea air blows and the dew dries with Eric Johnson playing on my I-Pod, followed up by a stellar cup of coffee; pretty much all I love about mornings…now, if I could only find a couple of pool boys.

Photo credit Gavin Clabaugh

The Golden Hour