Morning Gratitude

This morning is one of those mornings.  Mother Earth is wearing her brightest smile.  I awoke to beautiful sunshine.  Everything was wash clean again by the rains in the night.  There is a breeze in the air, rustling of the new bright green leaves.  The heady scent of my lilac bush fills the morning air.  Everything seems to sparkle from the drops of water still resting on plants and leaves. 

Long before the sun was up, I heard a bird.  I have no idea what bird it was, it was already announcing the start of a new day.  I lay there only a moment listening, I wasn't ready to join him, sleep took over any thought of getting up.  The birds here are all busy with their spring chores, courting Cardinals will feed their mate a seed from the feeder.  The barn swallows use the soft wet earth as the glue to weave their grasses into the perfect nest.  The Northern Oriole is singing in a clear and perfect pitch for his mate to come to our trees and build their nest.  I am astonished how they find the tail hairs from my horses to build their perfect nest basket.  The robin has been feeding her babies on the front porch lamp for more than a week now.  I can't quite see them, but soon they will peek above the nest. 

I'm delighted to see the first tree swallows in over three years.  After the two week ice and freeze in many states, we had a noticeable decline in tree swallows and bluebirds.  The numbers dropped to were they were in the eighties.  The tree swallows are building a nest in the box behind our mailbox.  Did you know they always decorate their nest with a feather or two before they lay first their egg?

I forgot, I believe I was sharing how beautiful this morning was...........   I know for sure that on a morning such as this, I have to say, "thank you".  I don't know who hears that gratitude, well, maybe I do, it just has to be said.  It is what I believe is a perfect moment and I want to keep it close.  I want to savor it and sit with it for as long as I can.  Think I'll take a flute, my coffee and go outside right now.