Moon Bathing

 

Just a few moments are good for the soul. 

Moonstruck

 

Hunter's Moon

The Hunter's Moon makes me think of a story I posted on this blog maybe four years ago about the mysterious Nimrod Hunter.  Go HERE to read it.  

 

Moon As Drama Queen

Hunter's Moon

On the Night of the Super Wolf Blood Moon Eclipse

Around 6 -- the temperature is in the teens . . .

and there are lots of clouds . . .

I wonder how this image happened?

There's a full eclipse coming and the moon is supposed to look blood red at totality -- but will there will be clouds -- or will I will be awake and feel like going outside around midnight?

Hmmmm . . . I kinda doubt it.

I surprised myself. John woke me at 11:30 and I got a few shots of the beginning stages.

The moon was almost directly overhead and I was in my nightshirt and a jacket, leaning against a snowy railing and trying to steady the camera.. I got these two shots and  went back to bed  for about twenty minutes. When I went back out, I got one fleeting glimpse (but no picture) of the rather tarnished looking moon before the clouds swallowed her up.

 

Moonstruck

Snow Moon

Native Americans gave names to the various full moons. Last night's was the Snow Moon (we don't have any) or the Hunger Moon (none of that either, thank goodness) . . . for the other names, go HERE.

Dog Moon

Moonlight floods the room:

The scent of all outdoors drifts in.

 Old Maggie rouses, stiffly paces, 

Stands beside our bed again.

The full moon calls . She knows that

Somewhere beyond the edge of sight,
Bear and Jack, dead these two years,

Course the forever fields of night.

 Outside at last, she pauses on the porch,

Black nose tasting the moonlight,

Then sets off, hind legs stiff,

 A slow determined trot into the night.

 

Two hours later, she returns,

Panting with excitement keen,
Dancing with lunatic joy.

 Maggie, where have you been and what have you seen ?

 She keeps her counsel

but her eyes are full of moon beams

And, replete with full moon madness,

The old dog lies down to pleasant dreams.

Celebration of Light

There was definitely a full moon . . .

But it was soon surrounded by clouds . . .

We'll see if the eclipse and the Ursids are visible later. 

Whether or not, it's still the Solstice. The sun will be inching back to the North and our days will grow longer and, eventually, warmer. The eternal turning . . . the eternal return.

I think of early man, huddled around fire in dank caves, cold and fearful, watching the days grow shorter and colder as the sun spent more and more time below the horizon. 

Perhaps they practiced sympathetic magic -- making more fires, brandishing torches, chanting and singing to entice the sun to return, to linger. . .

We in the Northern Hemisphere still do the same with our bright lights and decorations, our holiday music and cheer, seeking to bring light and warmth to this dark season . . . celebrating the eternal return. 

May this rare heavenly dance usher in a brighter season for all of Mother Earth's children  -- food and shelter, peace and justice -- those would be a nice beginning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If  you couldn't see the eclipse or the meteor shower, you can always have fun with Van Gogh's "Starry Night." 

 
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