Candleglow Dreams- Nebraska -from start of book Barb Franzen

 
     Roy made his way down the winding path. He liked early mornings and found relief in the cooler temperatures that came with Nebraska autumns. Summer, by comparison, was hot and humid; and while he always crowed in a timely manner, his thick, heavy, white feathers, took to matting together, making the trips miserable. Though it was early, six a.m., Roy didn’t mind at all. He’d never missed a morning or been late with his crowing, a job he’d taken on three years ago As for changing anything, like starting out an hour later, that was out of the question. Farm families needed to be up first thing if they expected to get their work done. Otherwise, why would roosters be there, before daylight, screaming their fool heads off?
      Celeste was first on his list. As he approached the house, the grounds were quiet, with an eerie stillness, characteristic of farmyards this hour of the morning. Nighttime was a different story. Depending on the season, you could hear the cattle bawling, crickets harmonizing the bullfrogs’ nighttime chorus… Add the ‘drip’ of tractor fuel, a screen door banging, the windmill’s whir, the occasional car flying down the road…and you’d find Roy thinking himself in poultry heaven. The trained ear could hear a thousand varied sounds. Sounds- that set country apart from the rest of the world.
      Feeling slightly smug, Roy made his way down the cracked sidewalk on the south side of the house. Half way up, he came to an abrupt sudden stop. Her window was directly overhead. Readying himself to crow, Roy positioned his feet, pruned himself, filled his lungs, and let her go-twice...Erkar-erka-Oodle-0odle-ooo-She was Will's new bride but with Will gone to war who knew that Rooster  Roy, his pet bird, would  wind up with a crush on her-Roy watched as her hand waves past the window...Yes, she'd heard him...      .d