Return

[rejectomorph]

Mars trails the slightly gibbous moon. The stars are dim. Sprightly breezes dart about, and the pines hum softly, but otherwise the night is placid. The crickets fell silent an hour ago. As the final hour of darkness arrives, I see Orion rise, for the first time this summer clearing the trees fully before the approaching dawn fades his lesser stars. It's nice to have him back. His rising marks the arrival of longer and cooler nights, and he will watch over the season of decline and the chill winter. I'm always pleased by his arrival. In a few minutes, he will vanish into the brightness of morning, to stride invisibly across the sky all day. But each night in the coming weeks, he will appear earlier, and the welcome autumn will follow.