Night and Day

I think we've lost the Persian Garden Effect for the rest of the year, now. Until a couple of weeks ago it was possible to sit out at night under crystal clear onyx skies, losing count of the myriad stars, while the warm breeze, heavy with night-blooming jasmine brought crickets chirps and basso bullfrog calls. It's still dry and Cassiopeia, accompanied by Jupiter still reigns at the zenith but the temperature is dropping and the jasmine is through for the season.

Yesterday was another perfect Florida sunshiny, no-humidity, fluffy clouds kind of day so I suggested to Mom that she should go outside and enjoy it. Her usual response is, "O.K. Maybe I will," after which she doesn't. Yesterday she said, "That's a good idea!" and jumped* right up.

*Mom's "jump" is considerably slower than most people's and is heavily assisted by pushing off of the couch and coffee table and anything else within reach. Nevertheless, for her it was quite the move.

She moseyed, with her walker, out front where we set up a padded lawn chair just off the walkway under the not-jacaranda. She took her sweater and a book. Inside, where it's generally 80F, she wears the sweater constantly, outside, where it's 78F at best, she doesn't. I fixed lunch for her and brought it out and then sat with her and read for a while also. She was out there for almost two hours.