Starting A New Day ... Quietly

This is the way to start a new day.

I'm sitting at my desk, reading the Sunday paper, drinking a cup of hot tea, and surrounded by my three dogs. Benny is to my left, Bailey is between my desk and a small table, and Layla is on the far side of my reading chair.

The only sound I hear is the soft breathing of my dogs as they sleep peacefully, bellies full and bladders empty. It's still dark outside, although the sky is beginning to lighten. In the distance I see the twinkling lights of Albuquerque on the horizon. The waning, almost-full moon's light is largely blocked by a layer of clouds.

There is absolutely no sound outside. There is no traffic (one of the reasons I bought this house) and no airplanes or helicopters overhead. The neighborhood is asleep early on this Sunday morning. All is quiet. With windows tightly closed against the cold, I can't hear any of the howling coyotes that sometimes frequent my neighborhood. I enjoy listening to their howls as I lie in bed. Sometimes the howling is so loud it sounds as if they are right outside my windows. 

The only thing that would make this morning even better would be warmer weather so I could sit outside while drinking tea and reading the newspaper. But for now, I will treasure the quiet and warmth of this morning.