By Amber Carman
You walk out to the back porch late one warm summer night. Pop down in your favorite lawn chair. Your eyes have not yet adjusted to the dark, so you settle down into your chair in preparation for what lies ahead. Nothing at first. Just the faint ring of the day’s hustle and bustle. All you can see is darkness. As the time slowly passes and you settle deeper into the dark quiet night you can hear wood frogs warming up for tonight’s performance. The once blank sky now begins to fill with stars. The smell of the pines and a nearby lake fill the stage with their unique aroma pulling you deeper into the trance.
Some time has passed now and the frogs are now in full swing, peeping away trying to get the attention of anyone who will listen. To add a little bass, a bull frog joins in; completing the orchestra of the amphibian concert. You look up. The shadow of trees can be seen, pointing up as if to direct your attention to the Milky Way which now fills the sky with bright stars. On such a clear night you can see every detail: the stars, the critters, the smells. The sound of a raccoon’s call is just beyond the tree line in the yard where you currently sit. Lightning bugs jet across the grass and sky like shooting stars. A loon can be heard at the lake just within earshot.
The air is warm, fresh, clean. A slight gentle breeze agitates the leaves just enough to alert you of their presence. The night overwhelms your senses. So much going on and yet; you are the most relaxed you can be. You capture as much of the night as possible, knowing that this is no simple task. Trying to describe what you are witnessing to another person is anything but possible. A night like tonight must be observed first hand. You’re awoken from your trance by the first wave of sleepiness. You yawn, bringing you back to your chair, sitting on the back porch. Your night is over and it’s time for bed.