Monday, July 20, 2009

DRIVING INTO NIGHT


The other night I went out for a drive in the fading light of sunset, looking for fireflies. I didn’t see any, not yet, but it was a beautiful way to spend some time nonetheless. The music I had on in the background was dreamily perfect as I drove around the flat farmland with the shadowy crops, down the wooded two-lane that leads to the Point Pelee gate, and back. I paused at the marina to watch the shimmering reflections of the sodium-vapor lamps in the boat bays, and then swung around for home. Moths and other tiny, winged insects flocked to my headlights. Illuminated, almost strobe-lit, for a split-second or two, they veered off into the deepening dark. Just as I rounded the last curve onto my local road, which boasts no streetlights, a little bat swept up over my windshield, flickering in the dusty light like a scene from an old silent movie, and then the night swallowed us all.


From the soundtrack of my drive: “God’s Highway" - written by Tobias Fröberg, sung by Theresa Andersson and Tobias Fröberg.

15 comments:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh what a gorgeous drive you must have had ---right at dusk, Deb... I love that time of evening!!! Come down here. I'll share some of our lightning bugs (fireflies) with you.
Hugs,
Betsy

Annie Jeffries said...

Lovely. Could almost here the night music of the fluttering wings.

Kat Mortensen said...

My favourite bit? The bat. Well-told; it was fun going on your journey into night.

Kat

Dianne said...

what a vivid description
sounds wonderful

Sylvia K said...

What a terrific shot! Love the colors, the soft feeling of the evening! Like the others, I felt as though I was along with you for such a lovely drive! I love that time of evening as well and love to go down to the harbor and watch the sunset. Hope you have a terrific week, Deborah!

Anonymous said...

Those lights are pretty. I don't think that I have seen a firefly in years. We did used to have them here, but not as many as when I was a kid in Oklahoma.

Are many boats out on the water at night? I would never tire of watching them.

Anonymous said...

Those lights are pretty. I don't think that I have seen a firefly in years. We did used to have them here, but not as many as when I was a kid in Oklahoma.

Are many boats out on the water at night? I would never tire of watching them.

Great Grandma Lin said...

good idea to take a sunrise or sunset drive or walk with camera in hand. like the lights at the harbor and the boats

Anonymous said...

An enchanted evening - the magic of embracing the ordinary.

I'm sitting on my deck right now, a hummingbird has hovered just a foot away and a dragonfly has perched on my laptop. I'm hoping the groundhog, rabbit, and mother deer with fawn will reappear this evening. And of course, I always hope for fireflies.

Kathie Brown said...

What a lovely image, both the photo and the one you painted with words!

Shelley said...

What a beautiful night - love the photo! Fireflies remind me of my childhood...I loved to catch them w/ my glass jars and watch them shine their little light.

Indrani said...

Night driving is fun, but the traffic here never seems to cease.

me ann my camera said...

Fireflies seem to be a bit scarce this summer?Your post prompted me to check ouside tonight. I found none.A night time drive sounds nice but I have still not received permission to drive since my stroke.[And that's difficult to adjust too.and permission is a bit still in the future yet.]

magiceye said...

seems so romantic ... sigh

Quiet Paths said...

Dreamy post; anything to do with fireflies is so. Thanks for the music tip: I will check this out.