It's a rare evening when I get out of work early enough to enjoy a few hours of sunlight with no household chores or other tasks filling up the precious time before dark. Tonight I was able to sit on the back step and read a book while basking in rays of the slowly sinking sun, the carpet of the lawn spreading before me in soothing green, the river sparkling beyond. As the sun sank lower, I had to move to a new perch next to our young quince bush bursting with ruffled peach-colored blossoms. In the same garden patch some irises were budding for the first time. Everything around me was lush, green, flourishing. My husband was fishing down river, out of sight. All was right in the world. I read my book to the end and went inside feeling a rare peace.

Sun filtered by leaves
shines on this calm green temple:
back yard, this evening.