Bee Lights in the Evening

 

It’s been warm this weekend—about 90 degrees in the mid afternoon and no sea breeze clearing the air on Friday evening. It’s ok—I watered all of the gardens on Friday afternoon and we completed our outdoor work before one today, so I can sit in the shade and read. All of the chickens are panting softly or standing in water. The rabbit is tucked up somewhere under the artichoke where he has dug down to cool ground. We even have some ice ahead for drinks.

When summer comes, we move outside and evenings are the best. We’ve hung solar powered lights in the shape of bees on the garden arch and they glow late into the night.  After we have finished dinner, dishes, and putting every beast to bed, we head out to the Bee Lights with our sleepytime tea and books. The lights are not bright enough to read by, but we have small book lights that clip onto a paperback or notebook, glow with blue, yellow, or soft white light, and can be adjusted to point at the text.  I found one for Mark a couple of years ago so that he could read better when we were camping and it worked so well I ordered one for myself. The hold a charge for days and charge quickly. They are perfect.

And so, we settle into the night, cool air breezing in from the ocean through a gap in the Coast range, rustles all around us in the brush (Probably rats….), books in hand. The moon rises over my left shoulder. It is half way to full and casts enough light to create a shadow. The air is warm and  my shoulders to drop. We can hear cars and frat boys in the distance, but neither is loud enough to disturb the night. We will read until our eyes are tired, and then, head inside to bed. Summer is here.