Snow seems to add an extra layer of acoustic insulation to the quiet that already exists in the country.  The only pre-dawn sounds are occasional bird songs and the steady murmur of water spilling over stones as Flat Creek sheds some of her winter excess.

Near the barn, Cogburn the rooster greats the soft morning light and the layer hens begin their morning conversation.  The sheep slip silently between the barn and the round bale to start their daily rumination routine.