after i walk out the door of the college at 6 p.m., my evenings begin. i have about four and a half short hours of free time before bed beckons and i have to start to sleep so i can wake up at the ungodly hour of 6:50. (i know; that’s not that early.)
the sun is high in the sky still at 6, with sunsets after 9 here and the gloaming spreading until after 10. but i know it will go quickly. i eat something, then think about going for a run. after my exercise has eaten 40 minutes and the subsequent post-run stretching and shower another 15, it’s normally close to 8:30. 

at this time, it’s perfect light and weather to be outside. the patio here is situated under a large oak tree and lined with flowers; the peonies are currently blooming, their puffy pinkness bobbing in the breeze. the bleeding hearts have finished blooming, and the tiger lilies are at attention, waiting for their time to bloom. 
i read, maybe look at my phone, gaze at the sunset across the trees and plains. the crickets chirp, the junebugs buzz (YUCK). the sun eventually exits stage west, and i go in. time to settle in so i can enjoy tomorrow’s four hours of evening.