There is always music in the country. It may not be the same music that you’re used to, energetic, loud, and fast-paced, but it’s still dance-worthy. These songs are beautifully melodic, they’re like a mysterious lullaby that is made up moment by moment. Who’s the band behind this music that I rave about you might ask? Well, all different kinds of woodland creatures, crows, hawks, hoot owls, barn owls, crickets, need I go on?
The chitter-chatter of the birds starts early in the morning before the sun even rises…
Out in the West Virginia hollers, these creatures combine their unique rhythms, making a particular mountain music that pleases my ears. The chitter-chatter of the birds starts early in the morning before the sun even rises, and the owls take over when night time comes, calling to me as I sleep. There is never a moment of silence living amongst these lively animals, and that’s just the way I like it.
It was almost like they were showing off, serenading me with their song.
Although I get to experience the hoot of the owls on a nightly basis, as I snuggle up in my warm bed among the hills, the other week I could hear their lovely sounds especially well when I went camping. All night long my dreams were met by the eerie calls of the owls perched high in the dark tree branches above me. It was almost like they were showing off, serenading me with their song.
I felt as though the owls hovered over me, protecting me with their strong talons from above.
At one point in the night, when I got up to use the bathroom, I felt as though the owls hovered over me, protecting me with their strong talons from above. I felt safe out there, these owls welcomed me into their forest and sang to me the gentle end of summer melodies until the sun rose the next morning. When I returned home the next evening, the owls from my neck of the woods welcomed me once again.
It was almost like they were expecting me, as if these owls had communicated with the owls from the night before. They traded off, as the camping owls did their nightly show for another group of campers, and these owls calmed me into a deep sleep for the millionth time.
– Willow Ferguson, HashtagWV #136. October 2021 Find this column at christinae6.sg-host.com and read more of Willow’s writing at willowgraceferguson.com
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