Time of the Season

My inner clock is fastidiously set these days. It is Sunday morning yet like clockwork, I awoke at 6am. These days it is still dark out at that hour, in true winter fashion. It’s hard for me to get used to the idea that we are now in the winter months. My entire life I have associated June-August as summertime, but now my world has flipped upside down, and the 22nd of June marked the first day of winter, not summer. The days are noticeably shorter, with the sun rising around 6:30am and setting 12 hours later at 6pm.

When we first arrived here in October last year, the sun would rise around 5:30 and we would be out for our morning run no later than 5:45. Any later than that, and it would start to feel too hot. These days, heat in the morning is not an issue. It does get South Pacific hot by mid-day, but the heat is more bearable this time of year. It is not the penetrating heat of January that wipes you out, and makes you not want to move a muscle for days on end.

This morning I woke up to the sound of birds tweeting and crickets chirping. The familiar background noise of pigs grunting and rosters cocking was there as well, but as I lay in my dark room, I couldn’t help but feel at home. I was reminded of the days when I would wake up early for school in September and not wanting to leave my bed, would lounge lazily as I listened to the noises of the morning. I let myself lay in darkness for a good 15 minutes before surrendering to the desire for coffee. I got up, put on some water to boil, measured out my coffee grinds, and lay back down in bed to read while the water brewed my morning fuel. By now it was just passing 6:20 and evidence of the suns emergence was beginning to show through my kitchen window. A pale peach color spread itself over the clouds, inching slowly towards my village. As the light grew brighter the clouds transformed into their hazy grey-blue mix, a warning that there will be rain within the next hour. I have become good at reading these morning clouds. A strong breeze blew through my windows, fluttering out my flower patterned purple curtains like fluid waves of wildflowers on a hillside. I picked up my coffee and snuggled back into bed with my book. What better way to start a day?