The cacophony is disorienting in the darkness. The avian din ruffled me awake as the cranes spotted a threat along the riverbank, ousted each other's roosts, or did whatever it is that causes the crescendo of calls to peak and valley time and again well before dawn. Hypersensitive to missing their morning, I woke easily most of the night. As spring dawned, however, I rose with it to find that the shifts and moves of the birds during the night had placed them nearby and delivered a spectacle older than the river.

Vicious Hounds

Farm dogs are a regular part of gravel rides. They usually rush out at any passers-by, losing their minds through their mouths in a desparate attempt to audibly alert their owners (or anyone who cares to listen) of the infidels that threaten to trespass. Occasionally they run back towards the house and recruit reinforcements. Some bark, some bite and some are just looking to make new friends and potentially get their belly rubbed. One thing is for sure. No one really needs to beware of this guy.