Last night, I was snuggled into the couch, reading the book I'd assigned my students, while my husband was upstairs putting With-a-Why to bed. Shaggy Hair Boy, who was doing his homework on the computer upstairs, came down and stood with his hand on the bannister, looking at me with the kind of casual look a teenage boy uses when he doesn't want to act excited about something.
"Hey, Mom. Know those tree frogs you like? I think I hear them."
I opened the window behind me, and a rush of cold air came into the room. We both listened. Clouds had moved in earlier, and it had been raining, and the night seemed dark and quiet. But then I heard them – just one or two, singing from the direction of the pond. We looked at each other and smiled.
Today was warmer, a sunny day that brought students out to the picnic tables on the quad. As I was putting With-a-Why to bed tonight, cuddling him and reading him a few chapters of the science fiction book he has already read but wants me to read, I opened the window in the room. This time, I heard a full chorus of peepers, their trilling and singing filling up the darkness.
After we were done reading, I turned out the light. With-a-Why snuggled up against me, then looked out the window at the moon.
"I'll probably wake up and come in with you later, " he said. "The moon'll wake me up."
It's something my youngest child and I have in common. We are both normally sound sleepers but a full moon on a clear night will wake us, filling us with all kinds of middle of the night energy. The night air coming through the window was cold, but I left it open just a crack so that With-a-Why could hear the peepers singing as he drifted off to sleep.
8 comments:
It's like you've left the window open for us too. I swear I can hear them.
I love it when my kids still need my body near them. I'm so happy to share that closeness with them.
I thought about you this morning, jo(e), when I got out of my car to go into work, and the trees-and-swamp behind the building was full of peepers. I knew you'd be excited!
Mr. Moon wakes me up, too. Must be the lunar energy affecting certain snuggly souls.
Where I am, it's already been spring for weeks. I'm glad to see that the warm weather is finally coming your way.
I love that sound, it is almost like Spring calling out telling us it is here.
Sigh, beautiful.
Thank you for sharing the frogs and the melting ice and the quilts.
Peepers! How wonderful.
I love the way you described Shaggy Hair. I can picture him standing there like that, still able to be made happy by such a small thing but not wanting anyone to see his vulnerability.
I love your blog, jo(e). Your photos and your writing are life-enhancing. I especially like this post for two reasons. First, reading it I recall waking during the night in my friend's appartment in Capetown after a heavy fall of rain, listening the incredibly loud sound of dozens of tree frogs. What a chorus! Second, I think the moon exerts such a powerful influence on us all, but, sadly, so many people these days are totally unaware of it. Your writing, jo(e), will make people more aware. What a precious gift! So, just for you, I've posted on my blog a photo I took recently of the moon over the fields. Come on over and have a look. I hope you like it.
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