Into The Woods Journal
Year 2024 — Week Twenty-Three
June 3
The Stoic Heron
I woke up at 4:30 this morning and rolled over to watch my wife’s waking face. It was Monday morning, but we were in good spirits. After putting the dishes away and making coffee, we sat down on the couch together to talk. My wife would be off tomorrow, and we were both excited she would be home for the day.
After my wife left, I sat down and completed a ninety-minute writing session. When I finished, I put on some thick pants, a hoodie, grabbed my cameras and slipped on my boots. The air outside was thick this morning. Although North Carolina didn’t get as hot as Texas, the humidity here created its own unique challenges.
The sky was dark, and the tall trees shaded the forest. As I entered the pine grove, I could hear the four dogs howling, upset they were not taking a morning walk with me. We’ve kept them out of the woods since there are fawns bedded down in the area. While Bodhi and Axel wouldn’t harm them, Kilo and Koda, upon spotting live prey, turned near-feral.
Their howls seemed a little silly and overdramatic, but I couldn’t blame them. I realized I felt the same way every time my wife left the house. She would always be back home later, but the feeling of seeing her leave brought…
