Peaceful Picking and Making a Memory

[ContainerTed]

Yesterday, I was up at first light (you know, "0" dark hundred) and headed down to the garden to pick beans. It was kinda neat to listen to the world waking up. Not the human world, the critter world.

So, as I walked down to the garden, my resident chipmunk chirped and let me know he didn't expect me that early. The mated pair of mockingbirds rattled the branches in the bush on the corner of the garage where they have a nest, and voiced a couple of protests that sounded more like a Blue Jay. As I got to the row of beans, a rabbit bolted out of the row, made a sharp turn to the left, and headed for the cattle barn.

The temperature felt cool, but was really about 69 F. There was just the slightest movement of a morning breeze coming from the north. I got started and had moved along the row about 15 feet when the first rays of the sunrise washed across the tree tops. The chirping of all the birds got louder and the robins announced loudly that they didn't like me being in their worm hunting area (my garden has night crawlers). I smiled at it all and returned to picking beans and the crop was very good, and I was kinda proud of my gardening skills. But the resident flock of crows came by on their morning raid of my apple trees. I mocked their caws enough to chase them off. I kept picking and two competing mourning doves perched on the power lines started their calling that previous family generations had assured me was the sound of the "rain crows". Not so, it is the mating call of the males.

The sun was now up enough to shine on part of the garden and I welcomed its warmth. I kept picking and was finally at the end of the row. Over the two mornings, I had picked that 110 foot row and got just over two bushels. I felt good about two bushels this early. I knew that the main crop would be in the next picking. But what I'll remember most about this particular morning was listening to the world waking up. As I grabbed my two baskets of beautiful beans and started up the hill to the house, the resident red shouldered hawk glided by and loudly let out a "skree" sound several times to let everyone know he was here to do some hunting.

When I got to the house, I was bone weary and muscle sore. That upside down 5 gallon bucket I used for a seat was like concrete to my old body. But it was worth all the pain. The beautiful beans were the cherry on top. The real treat was watching and listening and feeling the joy and wonderment of all the critters in my little corner of the world waking up. It was just a special morning.

[jtjmartin]

Ted:

You say it so much better than I do! I get so much enjoyment out of my garden - and some vegetables!

We bought a Golden Retriever pup after my daughter's cat (my avatar) was killed by a neighborhood dog. It was a fairly dark time in our lives. We've lived between the James and York Rivers for years but we seldom visited. Now, we take our Retriever to swim all the time. It's usually early - and you describe it perfectly. There are often bald eagles, osprey, deer, etc.

They were always there - but it took a garden and a dog to get us out there to experience them!

Thanks for the smile!

Jeff

[upcountrygirl]

Beautiful words, Ted!

[Labradors2]

How lovely! It almost makes me want to get up early to experience some of that myself! One of these days .

Linda

[bower]

Wonderful world.

[DonDuck]

Excellent writing Ted. The words were perfect to define the mood. For some reason, I've been waking about 4:00 a.m. and piddling around in the house until first light before the sun rises above the horizon. Your right about the morning sounds. The critter sounds must compete with the traffic sounds on I-35 and the rail road traffic. Both are about five miles from my house but still compete with the critter sounds in the cool morning air. I moved a rocking chair to my garden so I can sit with my cup of coffee and just listen until I feel motivated to start working. I think my favorite sounds are the Canadian geese coming up from ponds around my house, heading to the fields to feed and honking as they go. Sometimes they are so low I can almost count their feathers. The wild turkeys also make a lot of noise as they drop from their roosts in the trees around us.

[SteveP]

Good stuff Ted and a very enjoyable read. I am an early riser (5:30) most mornings and once my coffee is ready I take it to the patio and enjoy nature waking up. Being a city dweller I don't have near the diversity you enjoy.

[habitat_gardener]

Delightful!

I've never really been a morning person, but with days in the 90s+ I've made it out to the community garden by 6 or so on some days so that I could get a few hours of work done before it was too hot. In the middle of suburbia I see mostly dogs being walked or bicycles whizzing past, but it is such a lovely time of day that I'm inspired to get out there as early as I can more often.

[ContainerTed]

Thanks to all for your kind comments. I've always enjoyed writing that can take you to where I've been. I'm going back to do some more picking tomorrow morning. Looks like there's enough mature beans to justify getting them out before they get precooked by the heat.

Take a moment to enjoy your little piece of this world. It may surprise you.

[Worth1]

Wonderful story and the reason I get ul at around 4:00 in the morning even on my days off.
I love the waking of the world each day.

[ContainerTed]

Well, I went back down to the beans this morning. Found a strange note I finally realized was a progress report on our resident chipmunk. It read,

"He was delicious.
Signed: The Red Shouldered Hawk."

Yes, the hawk was just finishing his breakfast when I arrived in the area. I picked the entire row this time. Took me about 4 hours. Nicely overcast skies, so it didn't get too hot. The doves were still trying to charm the lady doves. The crows said howdy but didn't pause at the apple tree. They were more interested in harassing the Hawk. Got another two bushels of beans and back in the house at 10:15 A M. After sitting on the bucket for too many hours, my glutes and hamstrings (all the way down to the backs of my knees) are SCREAMING !!! I will definitely be a member of the "Aleve for lunch bunch" today.

[LK2016]

Lovely images, Ted, thanks for sharing your wonderful garden and critter world with us. Sad about the chipmunk, but I'm sure the hawk was happy. Sounds like you are well set for beans. What a lot of work! I don't have room for more than a couple 3' rows of beans in containers, but I remember when I was a little kid and we had a bigger garden, my dad insisted that we pick the beans twice a day - maybe a couple 30' rows - and it was hot hard work!

[sjamesNorway]

I really enjoyed your "new day" description, Ted. It brought me back to the times during deer hunting season, when my father and I would get up in the dark to be on our stands before first light. There is magic in the dawning, and the woods coming alive, which begins so softly and builds to a crescendo like a symphony. It's amazing how loud a squirrel's foraging can sound, when your senses are alert, and how wonderful the first breeze rustling the leaves as the sun comes up.



Hunting was what you did in the country in New Hampshire back then. I've long since much preferred to see the animals alive.


Steve

[Gardadore]

A beautiful moving and inspiring piece of writing. I am not an early morning person but do appreciate the early morning.There is a small bird which returns each year. It follows me around and sits on the fencing in the garden singing to me while I harvest or weed. We have quite a conversation. I’m not sure I can handle getting up at 4 but with all the currants begging to be picked and a forecast of continued heat and humidity you have convinced me I must get out as early as possible to pick and listen. Thanks for reminding us to enjoy our surroundings while working.

[jmsieglaff]

You should write a book Ted, I found myself in your garden living your description of a beautiful morning.