Early Mornings are Worth It

I usually get up early every morning because my cat insists on being fed. Imagine that! He's very persistant, first patting my arm or face, then jumping on me. I usually grope my way downstairs and feed him, then make coffee and sit, half asleep waiting for it. Yesterday, while on my first cup of coffee, I looked out to the east through my patio door and became mezmerised with the unfolding of the sunrise. I live in a valley with mountains on both the west and the east so both sunrise and sunset can take a little time.
Yesterday, there were just enough clouds to really hi-light the changes in the light. First the lower surfaces were a deep pink with small spots of white on top. Gradually,the pink lightened and spread higher in the sky and farther west with the cloud tops brightening. Within minutes, the clouds closest to the mountain became rosy gold and pink spread farther across the sky. Amazingly, hundreds of small birds chose this time to leap into the air, flying toward the mountains as if welcoming the sun. By now, the clouds on the east were bright with sunlight.
The fun part is, it can happen again tomorrow, different each day, but always the same.