Sounds in the Darkness

OMG...can't say it enough...the weather is absolutely gorgeous.  Fall is upon us in central Florida, the neighborhood is awakening, and the night owls are becoming more vocal.  Our home is located on the edge of the preserve in our community and is also home to abundant wildlife.  We have seen the owls soar into the preserve at dusk, but last evening they were so vocal.  It is such an eerie yet comforting sound.  Although they kept me awake, I enjoyed the chorus.  As I walked into the kitchen just past midnight, I hoped my eyes would acclimate to the darkness surrounding the house.   Night goggles would allow me to watch the preserve come alive, but my imagination would have to do.  As I sat there hoping for just a glimpse of Mother Nature's children, my mind drifted back to Baltic and Fred's News.  On a warm summer night, the windows of our home would be wide open.  The flowing waters of Beaver Brook were always such a comforting sound, as were the peep frogs and crickets that called the brook their home.  We picked this home in Florida because of the sounds of nature.

This morning I had to awaken at three, due to the fact that I was the opening manager at my Disney location.  There again memories of Fred's surfaced.  For over twenty years, that was my schedule, awake at three, hopefully to bed by eleven.  Not a complaint mind you, early morning darkness is quite soothing to me.  That smell of freshness in the air, nature's nightlife enjoying their moments away from civilized peering eyes, all allow me to relax, think and enjoy life.  As I slowly drove the winding road out of our community, I had to stop a number of times for sand hill cranes, armadillos, "possum and those God-blessed hogs in the middle of the road.

There were many times, I would head down the back stairs of our former home,  preparing to open up Fred's News, only to be greeted by a family of raccoons in the yard.  They had easy pickings if someone left the dumpster opened.   I remember one morning as we were alone in the darkness of the restaurant, preparing to open, we heard a dog continually barking.  It seemed so far away, but in the stillness of the morning, it was so precise and exhilaratingly clear, growing louder with each passing moment, when suddenly, out of the darkness, a huge white-tailed deer came streaking down the road right in front of Fred's News.  His pursuer, a large, extremely vocal hunting dog, but as fast as they appeared, off into the darkness, the intense barking drifting away.  Bill and I stood there listening......nothing, the barking had ceased.  We wondered as we stood on the sidewalk, alone in the early morning darkness and fog,  "Did the deer make it to freedom?'  If he made it to the river, he would be safe.  If not....... who knows, then out of the fog, a very exhausted hunting dog strolled back up the street.  We new the deer was safe,  the old boy was heading home, after a night out with Mother Nature's children.