A Very Quiet Night

The door to the deck is open. I’m on the sofa wearing short sleeve pajamas. It’s cool and crisp outside and now inside too. It’s the perfect night.

At this moment the house is silent. It’s just luck. The refrigerator is quiet. So is the pump for the well.

Planes sometimes fly overhead–jets already at cruising altitude and heading toward Europe. They’re hardly audible when they’re around, but not even that tonight.

It is cool enough to keep the insects and animals we sometimes hear silent as well.

Across from me on her own personal sofa Doppler is quietly curled up. She is breathing rhythmically. I know that from watching, not hearing.

I grew up on the fifth floor of an apartment building in an obscure part of Queens. It was never quiet there!

This semi-rural setting is the antithesis of my experience growing up. So different.

Stillness is a luxury. I’ve grown to appreciate it greatly. It only happens late at night when everyone else is asleep. When you’re nocturnal it’s part of the charm.

3 thoughts on “A Very Quiet Night”

  1. My mother-in-law used to have a cabin in a small town in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. You would get nights similar to what you described, Geoff. So wonderful.

  2. I’m guessing, however, that the welcome home was anything but quiet. I’m sure Doppler was glad to have her family back.

    Great photos of Vegas. Love your photography

  3. Sometimes ya gotta enjoy the quiet times….when the kid is asleep, the significant other is sleeping….you hear NOTHING outside. Time to take a little time and enjoy the peace. I have very odd sleeping habits. One thing I’ve noticed lately is the Robin’s start waking up at 3:30am….I had to close my window so they couldn’t keep me awake. Love the peace and quite sometimes!!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *