I awoke very early this morning, from a combination of aches, pains, and troubled dreams. Wandering through my house, I could hear very faintly the call of an owl, and despite the cold and the fact that I was wearing only pajamas, I wandered out onto the back stoop to listen for them. It was 4:30 A.M. The stars were bright overhead, wearing their winter constellations, with Orion high to the south. A quarter moon burned to the east, like... Read more