The river is still singin' its nighttime song, and that first sip of coffee tastes like pure peace.

I’m sittin' here in the front seat of my Jeep with the window cracked just enough to hear the water rushin' over the limestone. It’s that blue hour before the Texas sun starts its climb, when the stars are still bright enough to keep you company while the rest of the world is dreamin'. I’ve got a fresh tin cup of coffee warmin' my hands and a pile of post oak waitin' to go into the smoker, but for a minute, I’m just stayin' still.
There’s a special kind of hum in the air when you know the people who hold your heart are tucked into their sleeping bags just a few yards away. It’s a heavy, happy sort of gratitude that settles in your chest, knowin' they’re safe and close. I’ll get that fire stoked up and the brisket goin' soon enough, but right now, it’s just me, the river, and a whole lot of love. Good karma sure does taste sweet in the morning air.