drivin' in the dark...

occurred this morning, when I got on the road headed to south Georgia about 6:00 a.m. The temp, according to my car, was 28 degrees. I have on several layers, and once my heater got to work, it was not unpleasant.  Stopped after driving about halfway at a curb store, and saw a couple of people, dressed in insulated hunting garb getting off a motorcycle. Looking like the Michelin tire man, in many (maybe all they owned) layers of clothing. I thought: 'well, there's something to be thankful for - vehicles with four wheels and heaters!'

I was about halfway to Albany when the sky began to get light, sun coming up and glowing below the cloud cover. It was a beautiful sight, seeing the world changing from dark to light as the clouds began to glow. Out on the horizon, looking east across the fallow fields, the sky was nearly blood red, then gradually becoming a brilliant orange as the miles and minutes passed. The clouds overhead, once lit up, gave the appearance of liquid gold, the color you see in special effects in the movies: glowing, a brilliant shade of orange-yellow. Slowly becoming lighter, changing to pewter, then silver as the earth turned, and the sun began to have a greater effect.

Looking out over the landscape, seeing the bare trees along the fence rows. Giving the appearance of a fine-print etching as the sky became back-lit and the branches and twigs on each tree came into clear focus as the lighting changed. Many of the trees being deciduous, with evergreen cedars and pines mixed in, like carefully designed works of art against the slowly brightening sky. Each limb neatly and deliberately delineated as if painstakingly planned to become an integral part of the masterpiece.

Driving back north late this afternoon, I realized it was 6:30 and just beginning to get dark. So nighttime does not fall with a loud clunk, like it did by six o'clock just weeks ago. And the first day of spring is about six weeks away. Glad to be sleeping in my own bed. I don't like to make that trip down and back in one day. But I did, and sure I will sleep well in my own space.