Shadow and Light

I've taken to dozing on the couch these summer evenings. Things have finally slowed down and sprawling with limbs in all directions on a horizontal surface is glorious. The cicadas and birds (and construction workers) telling me things I can't comprehend though the window. Watching a drop of perspiration slowly build then dive headlong down the side of a glass. I'll leave the lamps off until I can't read anymore and maybe then only turn one on.

It's a different dark than in the winter, when you need a warm flicker in the blackness to feel cozy. Summer dark feels shady, catching the glints of water or sheen of metal (or if you're very lucky the pile of silky prosciutto you're about to drape over slices of melon so juicy I had to lick down my arm).

But the summer days are bright. When I eat lunch on the rooftop it's so bright I can barely see. Reflecting off the tin and trains and clouds so I have to cover my eyes with my hand and peer at my phone or at my friend's face.

Sometimes if the clouds are too few or the sun too hot and I retreat inside to sit in a sunbeam.

The weather has been cool enough that I can roast my bounty from the farmer's markets. Onion with bright yellow tomatoes in couscous.  Roast corn and tomatoes with queso fresco and avocado. Marinated eggplant with halloumi. Toasted quinoa with roast tomatoes and onion with parsley. That last one teetered on the edge of disaster due to my lack of supervision but my luck held and it was delicious. Though my apartment still smells like burning. Well it did until I made trout tonight so now it smells like fish. And burning. Bother.

It's still late summer and I'm mentally cataloguing all the things I would like to do before fall truly arrives. Will I make it to the lake once more? Boat down to Chinatown? Sit in the grass and listen to music? Eat gelato on an evening stroll? Stand over the sink barefoot trying not to drip while eating a peach or melon? Ride my bicyclette to a park and read? We'll see...there's always next year.

One adventure that has been finally crossed of my list is an architecture boat tour. Miss H and I spent a delightful day on the river before she left and we had fun playing tourist. The shift of perspective makes the buildings I've seen a hundred times look completely new. The clouds were being dramatic which made the shots I got even better.

But that was a while ago, and it's not time for any adventures at the moment. Just reading next to the light with a cup of tea thinking about what to do tomorrow.