August Hush

August 19, 2026Quiet. A thin blanket of fog. Not so thick that I’d get wet, but just enough to dampen the sound. It’s cool for August, in the 60s, and even without a breeze it feels pleasant.Part of the large class of 2026 crows around the lake.Young crows call from all around the lake. One here. One there. It’s as if someone strung twinkle lights all around the lake and they are making a sound one at a time. Even eastern kingbirds seem to respect the quiet mornings.I see the young bluebirds and flickers, but it’s as if their sounds somehow don’t disturb the silence at all. It seems all the creatures are respecting this hush, this glorious - and rare - quiet.Young bluebird quietly catching breakfast.I thought about trying to record the silence and quickly realized this is more of an energy, a feeling, and anyway, how does one record quiet? Instead, I let my mind rest in the solitude.Flicker wings!This is the thing I’ve been learning, and forgetting, and learning again this summer.…