Mornings
Starting with the first day of summer last year, I challenged myself to wake up at 5:00 am every day. I teach school, so the day school got out for the year I committed to waking up an hour earlier than I was used to. I didn't have any outside motivation to do this and simply wanted to give myself a challenge and help me make the best use of the day. The easiest aspect of this choice was the beautiful sunrises I was waking up for. Additionally I was waking up for the coolest part of the day. Despite the hot dry afternoons, a light sweater felt good in the mornings.
On one of these particular mornings, after a cup of coffee, I hopped in the truck, navigated a couple dirt roads and arrived at No Name Lake in an a little corner of rural Washington. When I arrived the fog was rushing up the hill through the trees. It was like there was a giant fan, clearing the lake, and making way for the hot midday sun. Sunbeams shone brilliantly through the forest, appearing and reappearing as the fog rushed up the mountainside.
For now however, the air was cool, and the stillness at the lake was awe inspiring. A pair of ducks noticed me and moved slowly down the shoreline. The fog was moving quickly and reminded me of short time lapse sequences I've seen frequently from landscape photographers and filmmakers.
In just minutes, with the fog quickly dissipating, the sun began to shine no longer filtered by the morning fog. Golden hour faded, and even though it was only 6:15 am you could tell it was going to be a hot day.
I hope you can feel the peace and stillness of this place. Experiencing it alone, and first hand is a truly rejuvenating experience.