We heat our house with a wood fire place—it is my job to either let the fire go out and restart it in the morning, or to keep the wood burning day and night.  I have opted for keeping the wood going day and night.  Because of that decision my body is tuned to the subtle sifts in the temperature of the house, as the wood burns down.  That is one reason I’m awake in the middle of the night.  (Although, that reason doesn’t work for the other seasons of the year.)

I think I’m a light sleeper.  I always have been, even as a small child.  I drove my parents bats, since they were heavy sleepers.

 Last night I came awake quite suddenly.  Laying in bed I could NOT figure out what had waken me.  I checked the wood stove, all was good there, checked Boomer, okay, and all the cats.  Terry was sleeping peacefully.

I have no notion what why…

Laying back down, turned so I could look out the window; I thought to myself how the air had stilled, there was the inward feel tof the small hours—even though it was still full dark.

I lay very still listening. An ember broke in the wood stove, with a crack then another with a muffled pop.

The night was undisturbed, waiting for the sunrise.  I drifted off to sleep once more secure in the fact our nights are growing shorter and the days longer.  In another month we will have a completely different feel to our winter weary world.

With much love,

Linda