Sunny Brae, N.B.

July 13, 1944

Dear Mom,

It's a beautiful sunny morning, so I've decided to pen a few lines, and send them on when I get a letter from you. There's a nice cool breeze blowing, and up on this hill it's great to be able to sit on the veranda with nothing to do until 12 o'clock

During the past few weeks it's been raining on and off, but now that it's sunny everything's been growing well. In almost every garden in Moncton there are tremendous peony blossoms almost as big as plates. On A.P.'s bushes I never could get them as big, but up here it must be the inland heat, and all tha rain we've had recently.

And the longer I'm here the more I've found out how beautiful it is. On sunday I took Stewart's bike and went over to Gunningsville and Coverdale across the Petacodiac River. It was an enjoyable ride along the smooth highway through the wonderful scenery and farmland. In one field I counted over 75 cows - to me, a lot of cows.

Then coming over the five-span bridge across the river, I stood for awhile and watched the red sun as it sat behind the land along the banks of the muddy stream. There was just enough cloud to make the sky red to match the muddy brown water as it formed eddies under the bridge spans. That was the first five span bridge that I had ever stood on, but I'm sure there will be many more bridges that I'll see. But I will not soon forget that sunset.

Back at Sunny Brae, the cool evening breeze ended a great day. Then I was shocked out of my reverie by a robin and a blackbird actually fighting on the lawn beside me, while an around them stood robins looking on. The tustle lasted only a short while, and all was peaceful again, with only the twittering of a few birds, and sound of cool breezes in the trees.

Love, Lewis.