I was re-reading my previous post and it hit me that in trying to convey the serenity of the moment, I probably bordered on “purple prose”. Not that the whole description was necessarily over the top, but that word ’somniferous’, while precisely describing the feeling I had, was a bit much.
Wikipedia suggests “purple prose is sensuously evocative beyond the requirements of its context… prose so overly extravagant, ornate or flowery as to break the flow and draw attention to itself”. ‘Somniferous’ certainly draws attention to itself, and in doing so it contradicts my self-imposed policy of not using a big word when a small one will do.
There was a sense that the world hadn’t fully awakened to the morning, and that’s what I should have said. Then again, I suppose ’somniferous’ is less wordy. 
Posted by Carol J. Garvin 
