I have always been a night person.  In the past, inspiration  usually hit me late in the day, and I could work all night to complete a task.  In college, homework seemed easier at night, and creative projects were always completed after dark.  I would get up early to study before a test, but that was the extent of my early mornings.

In the last few years, I have fallen in love with early mornings.

It started with early morning coffee on the back porch.  Wrapping up in a warm blanket and enjoying the warmth of the coffee was a real treat.  Then I started getting up at daybreak to do yardwork in order to beat the heat.

Recently, I had to make a 5-hour drive.  I could not believe the difference between a midday drive and an early drive.  No traffic!  And when I made it home, I still had the day ahead to accomplish a few things.

The sunrise, the birds, the stillness of the day all combine to make early mornings maybe just my favorite time of the day.  I guess it works out since my dog loves to get up early!

I also love to move slowly into the day.  Instead of rolling out of bed an hour before I must leave the house to be somewhere at a certain time, I am now enjoying getting up, drinking coffee, reading emails, playing with Archie, reading, reflecting, and then getting dressed for the day.  Have I officially turned old?

Now I will probably say this about every season, but I think Spring early mornings are the best.  The crispness in the air, the sun rising in the East, and the dew on the ground make for a lovely beginning to a day.   I have the added beauty of seeing the cows eating breakfast in the neighboring pasture.  Days that begin like that are definitely good days.  Even if there is craziness during the rest of the day, the peace and calm of a beautiful morning can tide you over until the next morning.

I want to leave you with a short video of my perfect morning view.  The birds are serenading, and the sun is peeking over into the courtyard.  This is my idea of serenity.

Help me identify the bird calls. I only recognize the woodpecker at the beginning (he has taken a toll on the pin oak I planted in memory of my Aunt E) and Archie shaking near the middle.