I’m still working on Big Time, my next book, but as I’ll be writing a book about “the golden hours” next, I’m pondering what to include in that. A deep dive into weekday evenings can encompass lots of things — from tips on ending the workday well to sleep, to case studies/time makeovers/etc.
As part of my attempt to make my own golden hours better, I’ve started a little practice during my weekly planning. I make a little spot on my planner page where I list Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs and then put my evening hour intention. Sometimes the calendar already dictates this. I am going to two tour choir rehearsals this week, and we have a graduation on Wednesday. But other weeks are less busy so then I can think through what might be fun to include. Maybe it’s reading outside for a bit, or working on my puzzle, or taking some kids in the hot tub. Maybe it’s going for a walk (summer leads to all sorts of golden hour opportunities that are less available in winter!). It’s just helpful to have an idea of what might be fun so I can look forward to it and make it happen.
This weekend the whole family went out to dinner on Friday night. I feel like there has been a milestone achieved where taking the little guys out is no longer un-fun. I’m not saying they eat well, and I’ve made my peace with them having electronics so the rest of us can interact. But going out to eat is a lot less stressful with my youngest kid being 5.5, so that’s a new horizon for us now.
On Saturday I took a solo trip to the new Barnes & Noble that opened about 8 minutes from my house. This is a very very exciting (and possibly expensive) development. I also went to Chanticleer Gardens, where it rained, but that made the colors more pronounced.
On Sunday I took the 5-year-old to a birthday party downtown — it was in this community garden that is right next to the Eastern State Penitentiary. I’ve lived in this area for 14 years but haven ever actually been to that place. There were all sorts of tour buses stopping by, so maybe I will add it to the list. The weather was absolutely lovely — a nice welcome to June. The little guys and I went out and harvested honeysuckle as a Sunday night golden hours activity.
I’m still writing my sonnets at the pace of one a week. I’ve decided to explore a “golden hours” theme for a few over the next few weeks, so here’s the first one, called “The Golden Hours” (of course):
The light is changing, see the evening comes,
when much is done of all the things to do.
The window open, softly brings the hums
of crickets, and the honeysuckle, new,
wafts on the breeze. I breathe in, then exhale.
The day is not yet over, there’s a chance
to revel in this time before the pale
brings shadows, and before the stars advance,
before the call of sleep, the lure of dreams.
The evening beckons, like a question mark.
This early June’s more open than it seems.
The solstice, pushing back the looming dark,
reveals these golden hours as they glow
so soft, as if the tilting world could slow.
I lived near the penitentiary years ago and that neighborhood has really transformed, how cool that they are hosting birthday parties in the garden!
@Elisa- apparently it is quite the place for Halloween – I’ve been told it’s almost impossible to park around there in October!
I always love your sonnets. Poetry writing seems so mysterious to me and your sonnets always impress me! That you write them in multiple sittings, too, just blows my mind.
@Jenn – thank you! I do sometimes go back and edit after finishing a draft of one of them, so I can attempt to make them more coherent. So it’s sort of in multiple settings…and sort of not.
My husband sometimes takes the kids to a playground after dark for an adventure. It never would have occurred to me, but our (young) kids love it, and it’s a nice change of pace to the usual indoor activities.
Our youngest is 4 and eating out is definitely getting more fun! Though we still have to choose kid friendly restaurants. Will be fun to get to a point where we can go most places and it works! And yes, we embrace the strategically used Screentime at restaurants too.
@Sophie – yeah, we don’t take them anywhere truly fancy yet, and I try to choose places that have a kids menu. But that can still be OK!