Twilight

TWILIGHT

Twilight will be coming soon.I get on my Supercycle with balloon tires.I painted the fenders black when they began to rust.The rest of the bicycle is green. I pedal out of the little town into the country.I am in no hurry, my bike is a cruiser and that’s what I do. No bending my back or head looking down at the road for me.I like to see the country.

It has been a hot day,hot and humid but now ,it is cooler.Summer is moving on, the fields are very green and the corn is taller than I am and coming out in tassel.I ride by a farm and see two Four Wheelers coming up the field past the corn . I can hear the laughter of the riders above the engine.These little four wheelers are fast and peppy.The riders come past the farm buildings and house and ride out onto the paved road.They are coming towards me.One vehicle has a man and his son on it,the other has an eleven year old girl, her friend and an adult behind them.She has the four wheeler under control and speeds past me,turns around at the corner and comes back.I wave they wave back at me.

In the field by the road is a brown mare and a pony.They are eating grass.The field has been cut recently and there is nothing nicer than the smell of freshly cut new mown hay which is carried to me by the warm breezes.

All this makes me remember my days growing up on the farm and the fun we had.We had horses not motorcycles or four wheelers.We rode horseback either bareback or with a saddle.There is no greater thrill.The horse responds to your touch and jumps forward.You nearly fall off.You pull the reins to the left or to the right and there is immediate response.If you have two horses one is racing the other.You can feel the excitement and the nervous energy of your horse under you,he wants to run.

We had a high two wheeled cart too.That was fun riding back the lane,through the ditch and over the bumpy fields by the woods.We also had a buggy,this did not go as fast as the four wheelers but your ride was a lot quieter and still you could feel the wind in your hair and on your face as you moved along. Ah memories…

I got back on my bike and turned the corner onto a gravel road.The swallows were swooping and flying gracefully in front of me.I wonder how many insects they were getting.I got off the bike and watched them,then walked up the slight hill.I could hear the frogs calling in the reeds.It was a lovely ride before darkness descended and I returned home.

Written August 14 2010