Manic Monday with Mo ~ Crisp

Barely out the door the crisp air clears my head. My footsteps sound light on the asphalt, picking up speed as the street runs downhill to the deadend of the block. Catching the essence of eucalyptus, I glance over at the grove. My hearing perks at the tall waving branches of long leaves brushing crisply on the peeling bark. I listen for anything else. The tide sounds as if it is coming in…the pounding waves louder without the daytime competition of people and vehicles.

I cross over…scanning the shadows. Disconcerting shadows. The moon…lovely and delicate in the sky, cannot penetrate the foliage canopy to define what…or who could be hiding in the grey green shadows. I pause a moment to sense that I am alone. Stepping over the fencing, I walk down into the growth. My foot lands on a twig snapping it crisply. So much for stealth. I find some kinda stump in the middle of it all and sit down. In the day I would be obvious, in the dark I am hidden. After a few moments my body stills.

Over to the side a small animal scurries over crisp leaves. I hope it’s the neighbor cat, a raccoon or even a opossum…I’d really rather it not be a skunk. My eyes follow the trunk of the nearest tree up toward the sky. Fog is moving in to cover the tops of the trees. Without the Sun’s heat, night fog is heavy and collects quickly. Every once in a while a fully formed droplet slowly falls into the debris below with a crisp splash. My thoughts seem to sort themselves.

With each wave I can see the glowing white of the curl reflecting the moon. The sound of the water against the sand resonates on my breastbone. I wonder how the irregular rhythm of the tide always calms me. I give in allowing it all to mesmerize me…suspending time.

Finally a deep yawn, filling my lungs with chilling crisp air. The fog has come in lower, I can feel my hair curling in the damp. My feet are cold in sandals and when I stand the cocoon layer of warm air shifts and I feel the fog. I tug on the sweatshirt hood and climb back up to the street. Now I can sleep.

Surf over to Mo for more monday mania.