RASCAL ON VACATIONAs I walked Rascal around the block yesterday evening, I not only exercised my heart, lungs and legs, but also my ears. I really listened and was amazed at all the sounds I heard. Here’s my list:
Cicadas screeched loudly, almost enough to drown out the other sounds, but not quite.
A squirrel chattered.
A bird chirped. I’m not sure what kind.
A horn bellowed from the tracks five blocks away.
A car’s engine accelerated.
A dog barked from a nearby yard.
A child laughed from the playground.
A whistle blew from the practice field by the middle school.
A truck rattled past, empty for the moment, but it will probably hold scrap later since tomorrow is garbage day.
Rascal’s chain jingled.
A jogger’s shoes plopped as she ran down the street.
The gate to my yard clanked as I opened and closed the handle.
A cricket chirped from the grass by the walkway.
A plane roared as I neared the stoop.
The doorknob squeaked as I opened the back door.
Inside, I heard my husband speaking on the phone.
My exercise is over, but yours is beginning. Pick a short period of time and really listen. See what noises you come up. You’ll probably be as surprised as I was at how many you can notice when you try.
Write or type down your list. Do this more than once and save it. Then, when you feel like adding extra layers to your writing, you’ve got a great cheat sheet ready to use.
Now go out and exercise. You don't need a dog to do it.
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://blogsthatrule.blogspot.com
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