It occurred to me this morning as I sat waiting for the sun to come up that winter is the one season that I get to actually sit and have a cup of coffee while enjoying the sunrise. It was a balmy 11 degrees this morning, way better than the 6 degrees of yesterday morning! This time of year from our vantage point on top of Lookout Mountain the sun rises just beyond Weiss Lake. The sky begins its ascent as a orange glow on the horizon as far as the eye can see. The frigid temperatures make for a really clear sky, although when snow clouds come into the picture it can change the appearance to a more pink. This is also the time of year, January to be exact, that one tends to become rather introspective. Just like the sun coming up over the horizon, the new year is rising up before us. A time to ponder all things. Finances are high on the list as tax season approaches. And, for a bed and breakfast owner, a slow time of the year. Then there’s the New Year’s resolutions of eating better, exercising more, and trying to “accentuate” the positives in your life. None of this is easy by the way when your mental clarity is suffering from lack of daylight and you are going to sleep at 6 o’clock at night! Overall I feel truly blessed with the life I now have here in the big town of Leesburg, Alabama. With a circle of friends, most of whom were once guests, that enrich my life more than I could ever have imagined, there’s also the “small town” feel of living in Mayberry. So, for all those of you out there who would like to join me on the couch on a cold winter morning to watch the sunrise, come on up! Mayberry does still exist here in Northeastern Alabama, you just need to head up and experience it yourself!
