Thursday, May 09, 2013

Noise

I guess living in the sticks has spoiled me. Some mornings when the weather turns off warm, I drink coffee on the back deck and it's quiet enough to hear yourself think.
Yesterday while sitting out there, a woodhen pounded on a dead pine like a jackhammer and broke the tranquility. I almost shouted, hey girlfren, take it to the barn, but I doubt she would have listened.
Today I had an Alabama Media Professionals meeting in Birmingham. The sky was blue
with lazy cotton clouds drifting off to the east.
After the meeting, the sun had heated the cab of my truck hot enough to back biscuits, so I rolled down the windows as I drove towards home.
I had forgotten how loud the city can be. Eighteen wheelers chugging inches away from your ears, shifting gears, and braking for streetlights. 
When I drove by a construction site, the tailgate of a giant dump truck slammed shut and it sounded like a cannon.  Horns, drive-through speakers, and cars without mufflers added to the cacophony. 
What's interesting is that I worked in the city for over 33 years and I somehow filtered out the noise.
This afternoon when I got home, I clinked some ice in a tall glass, poured it full of sweet tea, and stepped out to the back deck to unwind.
As I sipped, I heard a squirrel fussing at Caillou, and off in the distance I heard a cawing crow. 
Don't get me wrong. I love the city, but for me, it can be a challenge finding peace there. If given the choice between hearing a woodhen or a leaf blower, I'll take the woodhen any day.

6 comments:

  1. Oh I'd take birdsong and animal noise any day over cars and engines and traffic too!! Take care
    x

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  2. I love the sounds of the country but I love living in the city too... I at least have a family of squirrels living in my back yard and plenty of blue jays and other types of birds, even a raccoon.. I do live in the city though;)

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  3. Funny you wrote about quiet since we spent time in Vermont recently. It was sooooo quiet and peaceful at the inn we stayed in. You could here twittering birds and not much else. Peaceful and delightful to get away from noise once in awhile. Thanks for your post. I can hear those ice cubes clicking in the sweet tea! Susan

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  4. What a beautiful picture. I agree with you. I prefer the tranquility of the countryside.

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  5. Considering I live in a large city, my neighborhood is amazingly quiet. My dogs create most of the commotion.

    Love,
    Janie

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  6. I totally agree. I don't have this luxury though lol

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