Look!

The display of Xmas lights at the end of the block is beginning to attract gawkers. They drive slowly up the street, turn at the cul-de-sac, and pause to take in the spectacle before returning to the cross street. I think that the occupants of the house may be involved in some sort of competition- something that, in the spirit of the holiday, might be seen as a potlatch of wattage. People who can't afford to squander electricity get to come and see what can be done when it is used with extravagant abandon. They leave behind, as an expression of their gratitude, the odor of exhaust fumes to mingle with the scent of pine in the chilly air.

I, of course, continue to prefer the sight of the moon, which tonight is a fat, almost half-full smile displaying a hazy halo and trailing a drapery of thin clouds. This scene may lack the gaudiness which draws so much attention to the earthbound electric display, but it does possess a subtle elegance, and provokes a feeling of serenity. In a while, the Xmas lights will be turned off, and the moon, settling westward, will glint from behind a delicate filigree of pines. I am pleased with the relative mildness of the evening, and the absence of the recent wind, as this will allow me to remain outdoors in comfort as I watch the moon set, and perhaps hear the owls or a passing flock of waterfowl, filling the dim night with ageless sounds.

Post a new comment
Error
Anonymously

Log in

default userpic

Your reply will be screened

Your IP address will be recorded

When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.

Preview comment

Help
0 comments

Post a new comment
0 comments

Look!

52/137: One (not so fine) Day

52/132 Through 136: Out of Touch

52/131: Swelter

Error