April 01, 2005

Tree frogs singing

We have just two patches of snow left in the front yard, remnants of the snow ramps my kids built. And when I went to bed last night, temperatures were in the 50s, so I left the window bedroom open. I love getting fresh air at night. It was so quiet that I could hear the wind chimes on the front porch.

But then I woke up at 4 am to the loveliest noise you can hear in this part of the country: the spring peepers. I am listening to their music now, pouring though the front window. The silence of the winter is over.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn and I am listening to a garbage truck.

timna said...

yes, I opened the door to the deck yesterday and listened. it was only a bit chilly. so full of promise!

(today I'm in the fortress of an office with just cinderblocks around me. wouldn't know day from night while on campus).

Scrivener said...

Have you read The Rural Life by Klinkenborg? My copy's at the office, so I can't quote from it here, but there's a really beautiful passage about the shift from winter silence to spring noises. Damn, wish I had that book here with me right now.

Yankee, Transferred said...

I marveled yesterday morning that still, at the age of 53, I get totally excited every single spring. It's almost as if I have a revelation: Nature Remembered To Do This AGAIN!

jo(e) said...

Scrivener -- I don't have that book, although it seems like I should. It's the one with the non-fiction pieces that were originally in the New York Times, right?

Phantom Scribbler said...

I was hoping to hear peepers on our last foray into the woods, but all I heard were cranky children.

The mockingbirds are back, though; I love listening to them!

Phantom Scribbler said...

Wait -- was this about peepers, or peeps?

Scrivener said...

yeah jo(e), that's the one. I've read the first half--stopped when the seasons in the book got too far outta whack with the ones about me, but I'll pick it up again soon. It's really good. Bet you'd like it.