Sunset this evening
More alluring than what, Jon?
More alluring than the mere superficial appeal of my intense charm and irresistible cuteness.
After a week of relentless rain and chilly temperatures, the deluge has finally abated and warm sunshine has returned.
Returned from where?
Silly questions are going to be ignored. Even when they're from my alter ego.
I risked driving to town in the pouring rain last Saturday, because I desperately needed supplies. "Supplies" meaning milk, bread, cat food, and cat litter.
It's surprising how much excrement three cats can deliver in one day. If I could sell bags of cat shit I'd be a millionaire.
On a more pleasant note, the sunset was lovely this evening. It gets dark very early now, around 6:45 PM. Everything is quickly engulfed in darkness because of the surrounding mountains. It's all trees and deep shadows. So unlike the endless flat plains of Texas, where sunsets seemingly last forever.
Backyard trees this evening
touched by the waning sun
I happened to step outside on the back porch just after dark tonight. A nearby coyote rudely broke the silence with bone-chilling scream. It was extremely close. Coyote screams almost sound human and can be especially unnerving when they're right outside your bedroom window in the middle of the night.
Later tonight I heard the usual packs of howling coyotes and wild dogs.
When I first moved here (nearly a year ago) I was scared witless for the first few weeks. I had unwholesome visions of hungry wolves and roaming serial killers.
Now, however, I'm very seldom scared at night. I keep the blinds pulled up on my bedroom window so I can see the trees and sky while I'm in bed.
My kitchen (on the opposite side of the house) faces the infinitely dark forest. The kitchen window is very large (over-sized) and there's a big window on my back door. I don't have curtains or blinds on either of them. I probably will, eventually, but right now it doesn't seem like a priority.
As I'm typing this now, at 2:30 AM, I'm sitting near the naked kitchen window facing the forest. I actually savor the loneliness. It's a soothing alternative to the drug-crazed neighbors and loud mariachi parties that I had to endure in Texas.
The night is still young for this restless vampire. I have work to do on my nocturnal agenda before dawn.
The leaves haven't really turned colors yet (give it a week or two) but many trees are already shedding leaves.
My back yard doesn't really provide much scenery. I always see spectacular landscapes while I'm driving but it's too much trouble to pull over and take photos.
I was on my front porch this afternoon, but two wasps kept viciously attacking me so I finally went inside.
Another weird spider on my front porch. This time I didn't kill it. It gives the place some Halloween atmosphere. And it looks slightly like the cover on my poetry book Love Letters to Ghosts.
