A Sheltered Night Perch

Climbing down carefully from the railing ledge, I decided to find a cozy shelter for the night before heading back inside. Tucked into the protected porch corner sat an unlit iron-and-glass hurricane lantern. Inside its open side door, a thick white pillar candle stood waiting on the metal base. Beside it lay a dropped bundle of dry raffia ribbon. With steady, patient pats of my mitts, I smoothed the ribbon into a soft, ringed cushion around the candle's base, then nestled my boots right into the warm straw fibers. Resting back against the cool wax, I watched the evening dimness settle across the garden lane in absolute quiet.