Finally back on the patio before dawn to write!

First day back.*  Without school’s early morning departure, the longer dark morning is heavenly.  Moreso this morning because of the rain. The puffs of breeze through oaks, pines and palms.  Moderate temperatures finally around 70.  I am out on the patio in this holy darkness with just the old lamp hunched over the work.  This beloved lamp, black iron with odd spatters of green which must have been popular in the ‘50s. The flat oval base has three ridges for pencils to lay across in front and on either side dimples perhaps for erasure or paperclips.  Then the base lifts in diminishing ripples like tiny Chinese rice terraces tapering into the thin coiled neck with narrow segments for easy bending stretching about a foot and bowed as I have placed it with that single 60 or 75 watt bulb holder from which hangs the rusty chain with a tiny ball on the end, and the bulb is hooded with what almost looks like a miniature German helmet.  Eight or so years ago the cord finally frayed out at the dangerous plug and a friend cut it off and hooked up the wires to a new and longer cord.  This was my father’s desk lamp when he was in school and he had it at the house.  I’m not sure when it was passed along to me but I know I’ve had it as long as I can remember, at least back to high school.  I’ve had other desk lamps here and there at work or other locations in the house and this by far is the best and my favorite.

If that evil little coolpix camera were working—can you believe it?  Two days longer than the 30 day return policy and it quits working!—I’d put a pic with this. 

But my point really was more about being out here early!!  First day back on the patio to focus on the writing...  It is in every way delicious!  (Except for the writer’s block hurdle of having been away from it so long.)

YAY Spring break!

About that rain.  Last night the wind was just hurling through and as it got dark I was a bit miffed because the wind through the trees sounds like rain!  And then BAM! Torrents of rain whipped through here and thunder and it was glorious!  But in between—when it was raining hard and tapering just before the thunder and lightning hit, I was struck (so to speak) with the sound of the water spatting the pavers, the big rain drops tapping the leaves and suddenly in my mind’s eye I was seeing a campfire.  It sounded like a big fire smacking and spitting and crackling.  Of course I smiled.  The two elements most opposite—fire and water—and here they sounded so much alike.

*"back" meaning it's warm enough and I'm on vacation so I can lean toward getting back to really writing...working on story...really really...it's so lovely I cannot verbalize it!