A peaceful moment

I’m not sure why I’m waking up so early - maybe because I’m sleeping so heavily or maybe because there’s great excitement with what the day might bring. 

Two hours before my alarm was due to go off, I was checking the weather and the window. 

Rain at 9.  No deer. 
Hmmm… What to do?

Then I remembered a tiny walk across the road to Peace How. 

What a way to start the day! I meandered up to this stone seat and found myself inside a symphonic dawn chorus. 

A bird swooped in waves over my head with white wing flashes.  It took me a while to home in on what it was but spotting its stance on landing and then its drumming - a woodpecker had flown in to add the percussion. It gave a fabulous feeling of being much smaller and less important than the nature surrounding me.

There was no splendid sunrise and, with the forecast, I was just happy to be dry - sitting with an orchestra of birds more than made up for a light show.

“Peace How was gifted to the National Trust in 1917 so that anyone affected by the hardships of the First World War could come and experience peace and tranquility.” This was poignant. 

I was back in time for another hour’s sleep but that wasn’t going to happen with my head full of song and the deer making a late start. Three bounded across the field as I looked out and a male then sauntered into the garden, causally leaping the fence and looking round as if he was wondering where his girls had gone. 

I realised there was a female still there, partially hidden, and they hung around for a good while before heading off. 

At breakfast, we were lucky enough to glance up and catch one of them crossing the field and jumping into the road, leaping back a little while later.

A red squirrel tore across the lawn, pausing with a little wave, before I went down to meet dad and we headed on home.

The perfect end to a wonderful stay.