Book and drink and deck, and light that lingers late.

The cocktail is a Blue Bird. It is gin and curaçao liqueur, with lemon juice and a cocktail flavoring syrup called orgeat, which is made from almonds, sugar and orange water and used in some “tiki” drinks like mai tais.

(It can be hard to find at local stores, so buy Orgeat Syrup online.)

The moon rises over the pines and your feet are up on the chair next to you and the air temperature is simple balmy perfection.

A few short months ago, instead of cocktails you had coffee on the deck… for the one minute it took to take this picture.

This winter past was too long, unusually cold, and abundantly snowy. But at least there were bluebirds, watched through the sliding glass door.

Hard winter makes sweet spring and summer. But bluebirds bring happiness in every season.

Recipe for Blue Bird cocktail.

Another Blue Bird cocktail recipe.

A well-written, useful and pleasurable book…