4-1-06/ (?)

I've never been camping without the night being an endless cycle of waking up and wondering where the sun could possibly be, lingering awake for minutes? hours?, until sleep sneaks up on me. Tonight is no different. The only thing that has changed is that I've never done this alone. In the past there was always the option of saying "You Awake?" to break up the night.

When you are alone in the wilderness every sound and every flash of light means something, and typically you think it's for you alone.

I have no clue the time, but I assume those out here to fish will begin rustling soon. Fishermen pull pretty early hours.

4-1-06/ Sunrise-ish

East Texas sunrises can be a tricky thing. It's not the glorious crescendo of an event you experience in places west of here where a lack of tall trees leaves no question to the sun's intentions. Rather, it plays a guessing game with you. It's daylight, to be sure, but the sun is nowhere to be found. Is it behind the clouds or under the treeline, or still waiting over the horizon? I feel I will find out soon enough.

Sometime during the night I was joined by another neighbor (or neighbors?) on the other side of me. They did not set up a tent but slept in the bed of their small Ford Pick-Up.

I'll sit on the pier a little longer trying to figure out the rhythm of the birdsong-- measuring the silence between each chirp and gurgle, until my stomach tells me I need to head back to camp and make breakfast.