Silence; sort of

Silence is something I cherish.  I'm not one who needs music or television or something in the background.  I love silence.  Now I know one really can't achieve complete silence, but we're talking in relative terms here so, perhaps, I should instead say, quiet.

I live in an urban environment where houses are close together.  In the mornings, I hear birds waking up quite nosily, dogs barking for hours, neighbors talking, coming and going, sharing the sounds of bodily functions (sneezing, coughing--my least favorite--hawking, spitting, being sick), etc.  But every day, around 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., things are...okay, if not silent, at least quiet.

Other than the sound of my own typing, I can hear my wind chimes in the trees outside my windows--yes, those are security bars and the driveway of the building next door being 4' from my den and bedroom; the joy of living in a city--squirrels scolding my cat who's sitting at the screen door, the ticking of my collection of key-wind clocks and the white-noise of traffic in the distance. 

I treasure this time of day.  If I'm working on a contracted project, this is my sweet time to work best.  I can think, write reviews, read books for review, even nap, should I be so inclined. 

It's a bit sad that it doesn't last generally more than these two hours--sometimes, the idea of living completely off the grid appeals to me greatly--but they are two wonderful, peaceful hours.  And then surrounding life seems to switch back on again. 

Ah well, one must always be grateful for every little gift one is given.