I saw a turkey this morning. So what you say? Well, the turkey was right outside my front door when my wife and I were heading to the barn. The barn always has its moments as well. As we crested the hill the low clouds were just above the horses. You could see the bright green rye grass and the ponies off in the distance but just above there was the slightest fog. When I left to go on my morning run I saw to quail crossing the street. Even though I live in a small town, or village for my European players, there is a certain hustle and bustle that occurs. The landscapers are out manicuring yards, the citrus workers are moving tractors with spray decks or hauling the lessening amount of fruit to the plants for processing, and the locals are getting their morning coffee or cigarettes from the local store. Today the sky was a beautiful blue and the air was warmer than it has been recently. The fire trucks were getting spiffed up for another day of service and by the time I ran back they were neatly tucked away in their bays waiting to be called out. The squirrels are always playing their own brand of keep away with the cars that pass. I think it is called keep away from the approaching tires. When they lose, it can be a flattening experience. It appears the county needs to come in and maintain the shoulder of the road. The grass has made the bike/running lane about half the normal size but hey, at least we have that.
Most of us commute to work and I am fortunate enough to have a fairly easy one. I take three highways and a couple of community streets and bingo I am there. Most days I get to spend about an hour listening to podcast and looking out at the world around me. I know, it must get monotonous going the same way every day. Oh, on the contrary, the drive is a chance to see what the world, at least my world is doing. We are fortunate to have a large CSX transfer station so you never know when the large freight train will pause your trip. Some of them can be quite long. I am always curious what interesting or hazardous items may be in those railcars. If you want to see pastures hop a ride with me some day. This is not any big city driving. The calves have either been produced or purchased because they are all over the pastures right now. The local Camping World has just gotten some new Class A’s and some very interesting towable campers. Once I get to the county seat I am about half way there. The rest of the drive becomes a little busy, for small town people, but nevertheless still entertaining. The exercise trail is always busy with those who have a dream or time on their hands. I am still amazed at how many things people can do while driving.
As I turn at the fast food restaurant I realize the journey is almost over. Everyday there are people at the bus stop, joggers on the trail, bikers on the path, and students commuting from apartments to classrooms. The lake has its moments of tranquility and today there were pelicans going for a swim. Seeing something different on a familiar drive day after day helps break up the time that must be spent getting there. Looking for things instead of just clocking miles makes the journey enjoyable and less mundane. I could cuss catching the same lights every day or get angry because people won’t get out of the fast lane or even take solace in seeing the speeding jerk get caught at the same light as me but I don’t.
Curiosity allows me to want to see things that may not matter in my every day but when I notice them they spark the internal question center. Why was there a turkey in my yard? How much does he smoke? How in the hell does she do that while driving? Is that a cow calf ranch or a herd replacement facility? How much is that RV? I wonder why they are in such a hurry? I wonder if the squirrel makes it if he gets in the club? Just another day on the way to work.
No comments:
Post a Comment