Candle Hour

In the energy saving era of CFL bulbs, we've lost a certain warm light which used to emanate from our homes.  Incandescent bulbs were energy hogs, but they did cast a lovely light.  CFLs tend to cast a brighter, but colder light, which I frankly don't care for unless I'm looking for a lost button on the carpet or some similar task. And of course then there's the similarly cold light which comes from computer screens and television sets.  But there's still a way to light a room with a very primitive and comforting warmth and light, and that is with candles, hurricane lanterns and other flame-giving sources.  For the last two nights at around sunset, I've eschewed turning on lamps and overhead lights in favor of a half-hour or so of using only candles and lanterns.  It's amazing how simply making that shift can change the quality of an otherwise hectic time of day.  

I still keep the overhead light on the stove hood on so I can cook, but otherwise the house is bathed in a quiet orange glow.  The living and dining rooms look more inviting and cozy.  The shadows on the wall dance in a friendly rhythm.  And everything seems to slow down just a bit, as we enter into the evening hours.  


The television and computer will be on for sure later in the evening, but taking that half-hour or so to quietly reflect on the day while bathed in the warm glow of 10 or 12 little fires is a soul-restoring experience.