March 7 ... solitude with company...

I awoke very early this morning. The house that our dear friends are having built still doesn't have curtains, and "our room" is facing the rising sun. It was fine being woken up by the sunrise really ... it was quite spectacular. The lake is still frozen so there is such brightness - it's breathtaking.

Not being able to sleep any more, I got up and went for an early morning walk. I passed a creek, the waters rushing from the melting mountains around us, waterfalls, ice sculptures, stunning. All of a sudden I heard a splashing... four white-tailed deer were crossing the creek. They gazelled their way up the other side, noticed me, and stopped. We stood there for many minutes - they wary, me in awe. They got bored with me and hopped away, tails white and high behind them.

When I got back to the house, I sat out on the deck, it being warm enough to do so. I kept hearing this noise by the lake and went to investigate. While the ice is solid (supposedly), there were cracks apparent. The way the water along the shoreline froze a sculpture of a wave seemed to have formed. As the sun continued to rise and warm the air, the ice tinkled and crackled sounding like little bells. Then this music like whale song began. It lasted for quite some time - it was the ice moving I guess.. I'm not even sure that's what it was truth be told. It was groaning and humming .. the ice alive. It was amazing.

Much gratitude in my aloneness today .. how full that space was with these marvels.