Through an Author's Eyes - Part 15

 Good morning!

It's a cold morning here. 12º F/ -11º C. The ground is pretty well covered with sleet and snow. Once again this week's weather has been crazy. It was 71º F on Monday and then didn't get out of the 20ºs on Tuesday. It sleeted and snowed on Wednesday and yesterday. But at least the sun is coming up in a clear sky today. Next week is supposed to be warmer. Of course it will also be March as well. Not that we haven't gotten 12 inches of snow in March before.

Anyway. This week's writing hasn't been as good. Lawrence & Lenexa have gotten stuck. I know what the problem is, but I'm not sure how to fix it yet. So I've been writing some other stories that were started. And thinking about some other stories. And getting ready for camp.

Speaking of camp. The gates open today so if you are wanting to join but haven't registered, head over HERE and find the registration form at the bottom of the page. I'd love to see you. And if you are registered, I'll be over in just a minute to say hi.

I hope you enjoy this next part of this story. The first paragraph is what Annette wrote. Can you picture it?

 

Through and Author's Eyes

Part 15

 

    The world was hushed waiting for the great monarch of the day to rise from his wanderings in the eastern hemisphere, rouse all the slumbering creatures and scatter the mirriads of glittering stars. A few birds, eager for the day to begin, chirped and twittered. The friends gathered on the dark mountain slope waited and watched in hushed, almost breathless silence as first a faint light glowed in the eastern sky, then grew a little lighter. Clouds, hovering on the horizon changed from dark to pink. The sun was coming up. Yellow gleamed in one section of the far distant horizon proclaiming that there is where the great king of the day would make his grand appearance. The light grew brighter. The yellow, almost golden in color, advanced up in the sky and a white light followed. It was coming. More clouds joined in the celebration of color, some were bright pink, others purple while the ones closest to the rising sun were orange. Behind them the sky was almost a rosy blue though that color didn’t seem possible. Higher rose the yellow, followed by the white. Then there it was. The sun. A glowing, pinkish-orange ball. It came up slowly, ever so slowly, yet one could almost see it move. The dark silhouette of a bird flew across the expanse of sky between the sun and those watching with bated breath. Nature’s orchestra was tuning up. Birds began to sing, animals in the nearby trees stretched from their nights rest, or settled into their beds until night again claimed the earth.

*

    Annette’s fingers stilled and she sat motionless. The beauty she had just witnessed couldn’t fully be described by tongue or pen. She doubted that even the lens of a camera could capture it. As the sun rose higher and its light spilled around the watchers, the others began to stir.
    “Did you get it, Annette?” Savanna asked.
    Annette shook her head slowly. “How could anyone describe a sunrise? It’s like trying to describe . . . well, I don’t know.”
    “But you wrote something,” her cousin protested. “I heard the keys tapping.”
    Shrugging, Annette turned off NEO and zipped it back in its case. “I’m not even sure what I wrote makes any sense. I’ll read it over and see. Are we going to eat a little now and then set off again?” She looked at the rest of the party who were digging in backpacks.
    “Yep.” Levi nodded. “Now that the sun is up, we figured it would be good to take a quick time for food and then we’ll hit the trail again.”
    It didn’t take everyone long to eat. Granola bars or some sort of energy bars seemed to be the main choice of breakfast before the group started off again this time with head lights packed into backpacks as there was enough light to see by.
    Elijah gave up his place in the front and Gabe took the lead. There was more taking this time, at least for the first little bit when the trail was fairly flat, but as it grew steeper, the talking dwindled until it became only a means of encouragement to those who struggled or lagged. Annette wasn’t one of them. Though the air was thinner than in the Appalachians, she had gotten used to it at the ranch and knew to keep drinking. Her pack didn’t bother her for it was lighter than she was used to on her other hiking excursions, and she was able to keep up with the first group of Gabe, Elijah, Bethany and Vic. Each time she glanced behind her, the other group seemed farther away. “Are we going to lose the others,” she asked, Vic who was before her.
    He looked back and then shook his head. “No. The trail is pretty straight and if it changes we’ll wait for them.”
    For a time the trail followed beside a bubbling, bouncing, babbling stream, and Annette, though she knew it would be icy cold, paused to dip her fingers in it. “Wow,” she laughed, shaking off the drops of water and drying her hand on her sweatshirt. “I’m glad we don’t have to wade across that!”
    “Yes, wouldn’t that be awful?” Bethany agreed. “The creek in one of our pastures is always freezing cold even in the middle of summer, I can’t imagine how cold wading through this would be.”
    “Numbing.”
    Bethany laughed.
    The summit was reached at last and Annette exclaimed over the vast view. “Wow. There is nothing like this in the entire length of the Appalachian Trail!”
    “You’ve hiked the entire thing?” Gabe looked impressed.
    “Well, not the entire thing. Last year. Dad and I hiked a lot of it, and Mom drove along and met us with more supplies. It was a very special time.” She fell silent remembering the time she had spent with just her dad, nature and God. It had changed her perspective on many things and had opened up a new level of communication with her dad as well as a closer walk with her Heavenly Father.
    As they waited for the second half of the hikers to join them, the first group wandered around on the ridge, taking pictures, admiring the view, checking the map and discussing the possibility of going down a different way, and testing their singing voices. Elijah suggested that when everyone had arrived they should try singing “How Great Thou Art” on the top of the mountain.
    It was all a memorable experience to Annette when the others arrived. Lunches were eaten and then, gathered in a group, the sang the grand old hymn. As she sang, her soprano voice soaring heavenward on the higher notes, Annette wondered if anyone below could hear them or if their praise was only for the ears of the Great Creator.
    All too soon it was time to head down the mountain. Several had remarked the absence of other hikers, but no one thought much of it. Levi and Judah had both agreed that they could head down the other trail as it was one big loop and would take them back to the van. Packs were hoisted back onto backs, hiking boots were tied tighter, and everyone fell into line.

Did you have crazy weather this week?

Would you like to sing on top of a mountain?

Are you joining camp this time?