Since early spring of this year, Cooper and I have been spending mornings at Waverly Park. Almost as soon as we started, Cooper needed a ramp for our just-after-sunrise strolls. We settled into the ramp and Waverly mornings as the way we began our days.
Summer has seemed nearly perfect for us or maybe it just seems that way because of Waverly. The thick carpet of grass, rich with dew, anticipates the heat of the day while the still waters of Waverly Pond mirror the day’s possibilities, an idyllic frame for every summer’s day.
We don’t have a usual path through the park that surrounds Waverly Pond, although we are partial to an initial stroll among the pines and dogwood. We weave in and out and among the mosaic mulch of pine straw and leaves long fallen. Shoots of coarse grass serve as sentinels for the forest bed.
Almost every morning we follow the arc of shade to a ring of crape myrtles–white and watermelon when in bloom—they are the gateway to a canopy of live oaks, primeval in their presence. The circular, gray-gravel path beneath the canopy of limbs winds round magnolia trees too young to know their first blossom. Who knows their promise?
Some mornings, we cross the bridge that holds the world away from Waverly. I watch the waters for turtles and fish–they surface more often than not–always, I wave in friendship. Cooper explores the bridge for the scent of those who have come before. He has taught me that no two crossings are ever the same. 
On those mornings that we cross the bridge, we never sit at the gazebo for there is much to explore. These are mornings when Cooper’s legs are working as we both remember them, without one wobble. We admire the scent of the rose bushes but Cooper keeps his nose much closer to the ground, examining the gazebo full circle. Soon, I am given to looking out on the pond.
The turtle row launch is generally busy, negotiating space for incoming and 
outgoing, big or small. On less crowded mornings, a lone egret will land but the concrete of the launch is not as inviting as the verdant growth along the shores of Waverly pond, even in August. There is much to be discovered 
as the day begins.
I am grateful to Cooper for these Waverly mornings for it is his heart that holds us fast to our ritual. He has taught me the forever joy of “bye-bye in the car.” It is a lifetime gift, of course. Already there are times that we must settle for the memory of Waverly but for every day we are able, we have a Waverly morning. 
KM Huber's Blog 
There is something wonderful about knowing a place intimately, day after day. My constant walk is through my neighborhood. It is never the same two days in a row. I return home with the feeling that, because of the walk, things have shifted,my perception of the world remade.
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As you say, no two days are the same in any place, always another perspective on the horizon.
Karen
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What a wonderful way to start the day! And a wonderful place. Thanks for sharing – a reminder to us all that time to think, time to contemplate amidst pleasant surroundings is so important. Something we city denizens forget, I fear, to our cost.
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A beautiful stroll with a loved pet, well evoked with words and photos. I sometimes wonder if writers are not visually oriented; here, the pictures add depth to the wonderful description. Write on!
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Hello, Beth!
Glad you enjoyed the post. I so enjoy these mornings with Cooper as yet another perspective on beginning the day. Thanks for stopping by.
Karen
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Not a single wobble in your writing, sweet lady. You have a gentle way with words and beasts. Thanks for the outing.
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Thanks so much for stopping by, dear friend; so glad you enjoyed the post. I’m keeping a good thought for that thriller of yours.
Karen
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I’m in agreement with everyone else. Lovely.
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Congratulations on your recent academic success; I hope you are doing a great deal to celebrate what a big deal it is. I, too, wished we lived closer. Thanks, Deb, for always offering a kind word.
Karen
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Hi Karen, a lovely and delightful post thanks for giving me an insight into your world. I felt as if I was there, loved the visuals.
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Such thoughtful words, Tina; truly, I appreciate them. I am really enjoying your blog–http://www.athenabrady.co.uk/–your last post on Marilyn Monroe was one of the best I have read. Thanks again, Tina.
Karen
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How lovely!
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Hi, Janet!
So glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for your kind words. You have been in my thoughts and hope all is well with you. Nice to see you here, again.
Karen
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You are such a lovely person Karen; it makes me sad that you’re ill.
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Lovely way to start my day too Karen! We all need an anchor in nature.
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Hi, Diana!
I agree that an anchor in nature provides us our roots. Thanks for the compliment.
Karen
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