It's getting pretty dark now, but there is still a patch of intense red in the west, silhouetting a clump of bare oaks and a few pines. I could imagine that there was a fire, but there is no smell of wildfire. The only scent of smoke in the air is coming from nearby fireplaces. It is already to dark out for the smoke to be visible. Soon the trees will all but vanish, with only their tops outlined against cerulean sky. Portia is sitting on the windowsill watching the night arrive with me. Soon she'll be wanting to go outside. She is greatly enjoying the mild weather, as are the feral cats.
I think I'll go out for a while, too. to watch the half moon grow bright and the stars emerge. Then dinner. I have a frozen lasagna tonight. Safeway no longer stocks my favorite brand, so I'm trying another that was on sale this week. If it's any good I'll buy more, but if not I'll only buy frozen lasagna from Save Mart, the one market that still has my old brand. It's also the store with the best French bread, so I go there anyway. Safeway's French bread makes crappy garlic toast. Mmmm, lasagna and garlic toast. Maybe I won't waste time watching the moon and stars before dinner.