We caught it after dinner about 8:30 pm. Someone looked up from their paper plate and said, “The sun is setting.”
With a quick wipe of the kitchen and a change of clothes, everyone converged upon the shore for the sunset ceremony.
The elements are usually the same, couples holding hands, kids kicking around a soccer ball, a man working some jiu jitsu moves; but everyone always pauses their activities as the golden sun-orb drops into the gulf. Once the sun drops into the sea, all those held by its gaze lapse back into movement.
On this night, the best time was after the sunset, at the blue hour. Strong pinks and violets lingered at the horizon. This hue created a glowing effect which contrasted across the soft waters and provided the perfect backdrop for an easy enterprise. My daughter and son pulled out a bag of spike ball pieces and got to work. Within minutes, the game was built and a rousing frolic of keep-the-ball-off-the-sand commenced.
Other obsessed family members continued with rod and reel, that soft light lingering in the distance.
It was mesmerizing. And we stayed there as long as the glimmer endured.
At some point, the night won and a flashlight come out. The games and fishing and photo gear were packed up and brought inside to the artificial light.
We’ll try this again tonight, lingering as long as we can in the twilight. We’ll stay at this place until the absolute last minute, avoiding work and school and artificial light.
Angelina's Garden 