In the mornings, early, before 6 a.m., I go out to the little shed that is made from the lumber of my maternal grandfather's barn. It's my quiet place, my workshop for my creative endeavors. On mornings in the spring, summer, and fall, I like to sit and read inspirational material and attempt to set a peaceful tone for the day (never hurts to try). I sit and read and drink coffee and listen to the birds sing and drink more coffee.
Now I have Riley, she joins me at the shed, but I have to attach a cord to her harness because she will bolt if she sees deer, who are frequent visitors. Riley can join me inside the shed if she chooses. There is a soft bed for her to lie on. However, being under a year in age, she has way too much energy first thing in the morning to be sedentary. She prefers to remain outside and scan the pasture next door for our vegetarian visitors on four legs, or our neighbor, Carol, who sometimes walks around within Riley's sight watering her newly planted trees.
Another thing that Riley is fond of doing is going down into the bed of bushes near the shed. She has done pretty well in the past. Apparently she found a natural tunnel, so she stayed tangle free. Today was a different story. She discovered a new opening and got herself entangled twice.
I rescued her, tramping through the damp bushes and undergrowth. I am an explorer by nature, so I rather enjoyed going into the cavernous brush, a place I'd never ventured into before, for I had no reason to do so until now. I could see that there was a secret spot in there - a place where deer bed down. I had no idea that they slept so near. I've walked past this hidden place at all times of day and night. Perhaps there were times when the creatures were in there lying ever so still and watching me with large, startled eyes while I went about my business, on my way to perform some task, like watering the flowers at the shed, being set on a purpose and not sensing other beings so near. Now thanks to Riley and her explorations, I hope to be a bit more aware of my surroundings, to take more notice of the world around me.
