Month: November 2019

Zen Puss – Day 383

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Zen Puss – Photo: L. Weikel

Zen Puss

Never underestimate the ability of things to go sideways when you least expect it.

That said, I’m trying to maintain my sense of humor. OK, maybe not a lot of humor. How about perspective? Yes, that might be more accurate.

I’m definitely not finding myself feeling a lot of hilarity at the moment.

However, I have to figure that I took this photo of Cletus this morning for a reason. I am finding it impossible at the moment (for whatever reason) to access the photo I was going to write about tonight. So…I’m going full Cletus.

A Model of Serenity

Maybe those of you who are reading this post (whenever you end up reading it – either minutes from when I post it or a year from now) need to see this usually oh-so-cranky cat exuding this palpable air of calm repose. I mean, really: check it out. Even the position of his paws is zen-like.

Funny thing is, he’s been particularly irascible lately. I’ve been chalking it up to both a cold (he’s been sneezing) and the appearance of two feline ‘cousins’ for a few days. It’s been so bad that he even deigned to sleep on our bed this morning, which is when I managed to snag this shot.

Full Cletus

If you notice yourself feeling a little edgy over the next few days, try going ‘full Cletus.’

You might even find a peace that leaves you purring.

(T-728)

Digesting the Day – Day 382

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Photo: L. Weikel

Digesting the Day

We didn’t get a chance to take a walk today. I regret that, but by the time we got home it just felt too late. We were tired.

Which is pretty much the reason why we should’ve dug down deep and at least one or the other of us insisted that we do so. Precisely because we were so tired, we should have made a point of hauling our carcasses outside and marching our behinds up the road.

Emotional Weariness

Yeah, we were a little tired from the drive to and fro. But honestly, it was a gorgeous day outside, with only the occasional sprinkle from an errant dark cloud blowing through. Two and a half hours each way is not that significant an investment in love and family.

No, the weariness was emotional. That’s usually the most devastating. But interestingly, it’s also, in my experience, the most susceptible to reinvigoration by an immersion in nature. So it is a pity that, in spite of knowing this, I did not insist.

No. In many ways I betrayed my knowing – my knowledge of the secrets surrounding walking and listening to nature and the need for both in order to recover from toxic disconnection.

Toxic Disconnection

This concept is probably at the root of the vast majority of unhappiness, fear, rage, and disappointment we see in the world. And by it, I’m referring to the tendency of so many in our lives, in our families, and in our social circles to speak to the matter of loneliness or isolation with more of the same.

Why is it that so often we humans run away at full speed from the concepts and practices that would keep us connected? Connected to ourselves, to each other, and to the land.

I’m sure I don’t know. Is human nature simply contrary?

Loneliness

One definition of loneliness (via dictionary.com) is: “destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship, intercourse, support.” There’s a ton of loneliness in the world. There’s an untold number of people who feel cut off from, or deliberately make a point of cutting themselves off  from other people and the support they could easily receive if they gave themselves permission.

I think the worst part of witnessing loneliness is the realization that the antidote is right in front of most who suffer from it. They may rebuff gestures of outreach from other humans, both related and not. And that’s a pity. But the greatest violence they do to their hearts and spirits is refusing to accept the love and connection that abounds around all of us if we just open our eyes, ears, and hearts – in particular, the love from Mother Earth and her many expressions.

I’m close to falling asleep. This digestion needs further contemplation.

A Simple Message

But I will leave with this short video clip. Six minutes or so that may start your day off in an attitude that will get you – and keep you – connected to what’s important.

Have a great day and know it is all so much simpler than what we’re told or believe.

Photo: L. Weikel

(T-729)

Eve of Gratitude – Day 381

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Bare trees – Photo: L. Weikel

Eve of Gratitude

I’d heard a forecast that today and tomorrow, Thanksgiving, were going to be marked by high winds, winds that could wreak havoc on trees and power lines. As the day progressed and I watched charcoal colored clouds crowd into the sky from the north, I braced for a shift. Only a splatter of rain made an appearance, though; it came and went so fast I almost thought I’d imagined it. But no wind. Nor a drop in temperature. The day, while overcast, was almost balmy.

It’s nighttime now and everyone in this house is in bed except me. About an hour ago, the wind chimes started clattering. Gusts started huffing at our shutters, rearranging the furniture still on our porch. And as Goddess is my witness, as I was typing that last sentence, our massive wooden front door blew open.

A Whole New Perspective

Since I had to get up to close and lock it, I stood for a moment in the doorway, facing the road but (gratefully) not able to see it in the darkness. Oddly, the wind that had dramatically opened the door was not blowing from the south. Standing there, I was not buffeted by any wind whatsoever. But I could hear it swirling above and around by listening to the trees that surround our home.

I could sense if not see the older, thinning pines that line the property across from us waving their top branches frantically, as if they were evergreen head-bangers.

I expected the temperature to be much colder than it was this afternoon, but it is not. In fact, it’s so mild, I walked outside in bare feet, just to immerse myself in the wildness for a moment, the door blowing open acting as an invitation to join the dance. A snap and a clatter caused me to run inside to fetch a flashlight. A decent sized branch – big enough to get snagged under a passing car  – lay in the center of the road. I tossed it to the side and returned to my post (literally and figuratively).

So now I find I’ve lost the thread of where I was going with this at the outset.

Nothing That’s Not Been Said Before

I know I was going to mention a few of the things for which I am grateful, possibly some of the more obscure aspects of my life. Certainly nothing that’s not been said before. But now I find most thought has been swept away.

My eyes close as I listen to the wind sweeping the fallen leaves across the lawn, yanking at those that tenaciously hold on to the branches of the maples, cherries, and ashes that lean in protectively.

It was dark when I went outside just now. New moon dark. The black of the night sky rich with possibilities, like moist, fecund soil, the old being swept away to make room for the birth and nurturing of fresh ideas, dreams, and aspirations.

I’m sitting here feeling an abounding expansiveness of gratitude. How happy and grateful I am to have a warm home that can stand against the wild winds and keep me and my loved ones (two and four legged especially) sheltered while we dream our dreams, whatever they may be and wherever they may take us.

P.S.: Our opossum visited yet again this evening. That makes it four days in a row.

(T-730)

Opossom’s Appearance – Day 380

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Opossum playing dead – Photo: L. Weikel

Opossom’s Appearance

Every once in a while we’ve had an opossum show up in our yard. I’m pretty sure I’ve written about a time when Spartacus barreled out our kitchen door and ran right over one, causing it to roll toward a car parked in the driveway. It was amusing at the time – mostly because both animals seemed so surprised (and neither got hurt).

Recently, however, there’s been an opossum hanging out underneath our bird feeders under the cover of darkness.  I described for you last night our most recent up-close-and-personal encounter with it, when we surprised the critter by returning home from a walk in the dark.

Old News

As I described in my post the other night, our opossum truly is a first class thespian. Upon encountering it, both Karl and I were absolutely convinced was dead. It was sprawled on its side, its mouth open, exposing its glinting sharp teeth. To add to its master play, its tongue was hanging out. Although I didn’t detect an odor, Spartacus was clearly sniffing at something weird in the air.

The two photos in this post are what I managed to take in a single shot, because it was so deftly scurried to safety after taking me by surprise by sitting up and pointedly (no pun intended) looking at me.

But What’s the Message?

The night that all of this took place, when we unexpectedly (to the opossum) returned from a walk and surprised it, I had to write about the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter in the night sky.

When I then attempted to write about our opossum encounter last night, I became exceedingly frustrated by the fact that all of a sudden my laptop was telling me I was maxing out on my memory. Apparently it was hitting the wall. Apparently the hard drive becoming full was reaching such an apex that, as Apples are wont to do, when I tried to even just log into the computer or open a document, all I saw was a swirling rainbow circle spinning minute after minute. Literally. I was unable to do anything on my MacBook Air.

I had to laugh at my internal reaction. It upset me! I’d been faithfully writing my posts on this laptop since around the eighth day into this 1111 Devotion. That meant I’d written 371 consecutive posts on this laptop, and I did not want to change my routine. (Wow.)

Suddenly, it occurred to me that this was somehow a reflection of the lesson Opossum was here to teach me: STRATEGY.

Too Much Stuff

I’ve most definitely been feeling a need to sort and discard. My environment is begging me for attention. And there it was: right in my face.

I could not upload the photo of my prehistoric little friend because I had too much stuff on my laptop. So… I needed to employ some strategy. OK, I thought, I am not going to let this throw me off track. I’ll use my Dell for the blog – just this once.

Thwarted

That, too, became a task fraught with obstacles. First of all, I downloaded the two photos I’d made from the single ‘live’ photo I’d taken with my iPhone. Oh, let me tell you, I was so proud of myself for having figured out how to isolate the frames and keep the two most distinct as separate photos.

Imagine my supreme irritation, then, when I tried to download this onto my Dell – and could not, for the life of me, find the folder in which the photos were being stored. I know; I know. Sounds simple. Probably is simple. But I simply could not figure it out last night.

Then – oh my. A message popped up on my Dell. I could not believe my eyes when I realized it was telling me I had precious little hard drive space left on it, too.

Opossum ‘waking up’ – Photo: L. Weikel

A Consistent Message

I have to admit, it’s time for me to clean out the clutter. Be it in my bureau drawers or in my creative outlets (my laptops), clearly too much ‘stuff’ is muddying up the flow. I need to create a strategy  to help myself.

And the consistency is holding with the messenger as well. Not only did I see it the night it seemingly fainted dead away. I also saw it both last night and tonight!

Frankly, I’m astonished by this. When we got home from our walk this evening, for instance, Cletus was sitting on the porch just watching the Opossum eating stuff it was finding under the bird feeder. And the dogs…they seem to smell it, but also don’t seem to care much about it anymore. It’s sort of become ‘one of the gang.’ (I do need to say that we try to be very careful when letting the dogs out for their final evening tinkle. I’ve walked onto the porch and told it to go home three straight nights now!)

For now, though, I’m happy to report that I removed a bunch of redundant photos from my MacAir and it seems to at least not be getting stuck on the whirling rainbow any more. Phew. I still need a strategy to cull the herd here in the house, though.

Wish me luck!

(T-731)

Supreme Frustration – Day 379

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Supreme Frustration

No photos tonight – at least not of what I both wanted and intended to post.

Yesterday, after taking a walk that started in the late afternoon glow of the setting sun but ended in the early evening darkness that happens in November, Karl and I started up the walkway to our kitchen door. I was following Karl and was a few paces behind him. I saw Spartacus lunge toward our left, toward our small barn, which he sometimes does when we return home after a walk. It’s not uncommon for deer to congregate on our lawn, back by the barn. Usually, Karl unsnaps Spart’s harness as we enter our driveway, and he’ll take off toward the deer, feeling all manly as he chases away those very daunting four leggeds.

I heard a thump and, as I said, could see Spartacus try to bolt, yet got jerked by the leash. I presumed he’d seen a couple deer.

Suddenly I heard Karl exclaim, “No! Spartacus!” as the leash made the jagged sound it makes when trying to retract the lead. “It’s dead! Get away!”

A Shock On the Lawn

I heard all of this in the flash of the couple seconds it took me to catch up to them. I immediately saw the body laying underneath the bird feeders. It was shocking. The body of an animal larger than our largest cat was laying dead on our lawn.

Karl, meanwhile, was gathering up Spartacus and Sheila and calling them to go into kitchen. Sheila, being mostly blind and predominantly deaf, was oblivious. Spartacus, not unusually, was intrigued. He’s usually pretty good at listening to us, especially when there’s a sharp edge to our voices, so he was up on the porch, but was clearly conflicted.

I was appalled. My mind raced. What could have happened to this animal?! What could it have possibly eaten that would have poisoned it – and so close to our porch?! Karl and I were both upset that there was a death on our lawn.

Playing ‘Possum

And then it hit me. “Duh, Karl,” I exclaimed. “It’s a ‘possum! It’s playing dead!”

“No,” Karl immediately replied. “Look at it! Its mouth is hanging open and it looks bloated. It’s clearly dead!”

“But that’s what they do,” I began, handing him Sheila’s leash, which I’d been holding. She was still attached to it, but was in the process of walking up the steps onto the porch. “Here – would you take her?” I urged, trying to shove her leash into his hand. “I want to get a picture of it! I bet it’ll run away as soon as we go inside.”

We fumbled around passing the leash; I was hurrying, trying to pull my phone out of my pocket so I could document our discovery. Karl herded the pups into the kitchen and was simultaneously trying to keep Cletus, the ornery black and white cat of ours, from leaping through the doorway and off the porch, right onto the opossum.

He would not have it. He bounded out.

I shrieked, knowing instinctively that the opossum was still alive – and they can be ferocious. But the cat stayed on the porch, probably having had a run-in with this critter before.

Say Cheese!

I trained my iPhone toward the dead body, its razor-sharp pointy teeth clearly visible, it’s mouth unpleasantly slack-jawed and hanging open. Suddenly, it sat up, looked right into my eyes, and just stood there. I shrieked involuntarily. Not that I was afraid of it, but it took me completely by surprise – even though I’d known it was still alive!

I yelped to get Karl’s attention.

The animal was perfectly healthy. I then yelled again, hoping to scare it so it would fall over and go into its second act, so I could take a closer photo of it.

Off Into the Darkness

Nope. No dice. It waddled off confidently, turning the corner around the porch toward the tall grass at the edge of our property. It disappeared into the darkness.

There’s a message here. And it’s part and parcel of the frustration I’m feeling right now.

Hopefully, I’ll have remedied the situation and I’ll both explain the message I received from the talented thespian and post a couple photos.

(T-732)

Venus & Jupiter Conjunction – Day 378

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Venus & Jupiter Conjunction – Photo: L. Weikel

Venus & Jupiter Conjunction

Even though it didn’t feel like we were getting all that late of a start on our walk tonight, darkness seemed to slam the lid shut on the day more quickly than I was expecting.

I was going to write tonight’s post on the very obvious presence of Venus and Jupiter in the evening sky, but then became distracted by a discovery upon arriving home that demanded my attention (and whose import continues to linger in my mind).

Tonight Venus and Jupiter were the closest they will get to each other (from our perspective) in the next thirteen months or so. Here’s a brief article. It’s called a conjunction when planets or other celestial bodies are either exactly at or within a few degrees of each other in a particular sign. In these two planets’ case tonight, they are conjuncting at 28 degrees Sagittarius, as I mentioned yesterday.

Well, now that I’ve started writing, I guess I might as well follow through and complete this post about the planets. I did manage to get a decent photo of them, considering I only have an iPhone 6.

I was particularly pleased with my effort to capture reflections of the planets in the puddle of water we were walking past. I managed to catch Venus’s reflection especially – probably because she was so bright. While Jupiter is also reflected, it’s harder to see because it’s simply not as large or as brilliant (to our naked eye). Jupiter is actually exponentially larger than Venus – and much further away from Earth than is Venus.

Look For Yourself

In case you’re wondering, the brighter of the two planets, the one on the lower left, is Venus.

It’s not too late! You should be able to see these two very obvious celestial bodies in the western sky for at least another couple of nights. I’ve noticed them getting closer and closer to each other during this past week and admired their stark beauty in the orangey glow of the post-sunset sky. I’m sure you’ll be able to see them if the weather holds and you have a decent view of the western horizon.  You will need to get outside to look at around 5:00 p.m. or so. They may not have set by 6:00 or 6:30.

Tomorrow’s Post

I do want to share the surprise that was awaiting us tonight when we concluded our walk, but I guess I’ll wait until tomorrow to write about it! It did point to a reason why tonight’s post went out a bit later than it should have. But I’ll leave it at that for now.

(T-733)

New Moon Coming – Day 377

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New Moon Coming

Next Tuesday morning (November 26th, 2019, at 4:06 a.m. EST) the moon will be new – in Sagittarius.

I’m not sure why I’m so acutely aware of this coming new moon, but I am. It feels like it will be a particularly auspicious time to plant the seeds of what we’d like to manifest in our lives.

Perhaps it’s because my natal moon (the placement of the moon in the zodiac at the exact time I was born) is in Sagittarius that I feel drawn to the power of this particular transit. Or maybe it’s because Sagittarius is a fire sign – a mutable one at that – and the whole concept of change (mutation) and the vibrancy of fire have me imagining big shifts happening.

Pre-Holiday Reflection

I’m writing about the new moon now, tonight, because it is a Saturday evening and there still remains another day in this weekend for potential quiet time. We all know that once Thanksgiving arrives, it feels like an untethered toboggan ride down a ski slope to Christmas and New Year’s. It feels important that we sit back and take a few breaths this weekend before Thanksgiving to reflect on what we’re bringing to the Gratitude Table this year and what we would like to bring next year.

Thus, unlike most of my musings about the moon’s phases, this time I’m trying to give everyone a heads up with a little time to spare.

Time to spare? Yes. I’m getting such a strong sense that 2020 is going to be a year that holds enormous change that I feel it is essential to give us all as much of a chance to get ahead of the curve as possible. Major disruption in 2020 is a distinct possibility, perhaps, but ultimately sets a tone and establishes a foundation for many years ahead.

Again, with the fire of Sagittarius warming the soil of possibility, and the added guidance and expansive tendencies of both Jupiter and Venus, both of which are also enjoying their last moments in Sag as well, I urge us all to begin the process of reflection, assessment, and dreaming-into-being now. Not only ahead of this Tuesday’s new moon, but also ahead of the eclipse season that arrives on the next new moon (December 25th), then the start if the calendar year, and then the solar eclipse on January 11th. (The subject of another post or two down the road.)

Seeds of Intention

What intentions do you want to set this new moon? These can be the same ones you may have noticed lurking recently in the corners of your mind, the aspirations you were toying with bringing out into the light around December 31st.

What activity, cause, or idea lights you up or sparks your passion? How can you bring that passion more directly into your life and, beyond that, expand on it?

Are you yearning to plant seeds of change in how you think about yourself? Your love life or partnerships? Are you thinking about having children or creating in some other, perhaps artistic manner? Are you feeling a call to further your education? Is there a burning desire in your soul to explore the bigger existential questions, such as why you are here, or how you can use your unique gifts or skills to make the world a better place?

A Potent Warm-Up

This will be the last new moon occurring in Sagittarius until 2030, so it feels important to take advantage of the unique energies associated with it. It also feels like these next few days before this new moon are a powerful warm-up.

I’m bringing all of this up so that you start the process of seriously contemplating the feelings you want to cultivate in your life. Start by giving yourself some attention this weekend, set the intentions (plant the seeds) on Tuesday – but also realize that you can hone these intentions over the next six to eight weeks as we move through the holidays and celestial events. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started; allowing ourselves permission to begin the process of becoming aware.

Awareness is such an essential aspect to growth and evolution. Use these shorter days to retreat into a cocoon of reflection and self-kindness. Ask your soul what s/he really wants to feel going forward.

(T-734)

Binge-watch – Day 376

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Binge-watch

I don’t have a lot of time to write tonight. Seems like that’s been a theme in my life lately. But tonight the culprit is not simply my inability to keep my eyes open as I sit here with fingers poised on the keyboard. Nope. Tonight the time bandit is The Man in the High Castle – and my delayed opportunity to binge-watch it.

I’m told the season was released last week. But since I wasn’t home, we mutually decided to refrain from indulging until we could be together.

No, we didn’t watch all the episodes at once. But we did watch three episodes this evening. And I have to say, I’m finding this season (Season 4) especially intriguing.

Parallel Universes and Portals

To me, this stuff is part of my daily life – so it’s fascinating to watch it being depicted on a tv show on Amazon Prime. Not that I subscribe to all of the concepts the way they’re portrayed in this show. But I find it rather mind-boggling that stuff Karl and I were reading about almost 40 years ago is now so mainstream that tv shows are built around these ideas.

Wow.

Especially Portals

Since 2011, and 11/11/11 in particular, I’ve been acutely sensitive to portals. Naturally, it’s not hard to see how the number 11 is a portal, with the two sentinels standing there on either side of the doorway.

Perhaps because I have a lot of 11s in my life (beyond the Karl-connection), such as my birthday ‘day’ adding up to 11 (it’s a 29) and my life path number adding up to an 11, I even have obscure incidences of 11s showing up, such as my post office box number (182). I didn’t choose my box number (that I recall) – and I’ve had it for something like 32 years or so.

Obviously, the single day of my birth and the full date (day, month, year) of my birth both represent a significant portal to me: I crossed from the spirit realm into embodiment that day. And I secured my post office box when I walked through the portal of opening my own law practice.

There’s something exciting about crossing a threshold. I guess I’m a ‘glass half full’ kind of girl, since I find the prospect of opening or passing through a portal filled with potential for new experiences.

Some might find it odd, but even the almost unbelievable confluence of 11s on Karl’s death day (which, beyond being 11/11/11, also – as best as we can tell – may have actually occurred at 11:11 p.m., too) does not make me cringe at the thought of 11s. It actually tends to make even more sense to me. Karl was an adventurer, a traveler. To me, there were simply too many 11s enticing him to cross over or through that day for him to resist.

Parallel Universes

I’m also intrigued by the concept of parallel universes or parallel realities, given all the choices we set up for ourselves throughout our lives. There are innumerable ways in which each of our choices triggers a cascade of events that also impact other people’s choices. If we consider for a moment that we are spiritual beings inhabiting a body for the purpose of experiencing life from that perspective, with all of the inherent senses and polarities that go with that situation, then why would we not allow ourselves the ability to live the different lives created by making different choices?

Yeah, I’m going deep tonight.

Ever since I started reading my first Seth book (by Jane Roberts) back in 1984 – The Nature of Personal Reality* – my perception of ‘reality’ and my comprehension of how we hold incredible power over what and how we create our reality has never been the same. All of the Seth books touch something deep within me. A knowing.

And to think, this post was triggered simply by me plopping myself down on the couch and allowing myself to indulge in a couple/three episodes of The Man in the High Castle.

*affiliate link

(T-735)

AMOs Part 2 – Day 375

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Screenshot of my Sky Guide displaying Monoceros – Photo: L. Weikel

AMOs Part 2

You’ll recall from yesterday’s post that AMO stands for Alpha Monocerotid meteor shower, and the AMOs are scheduled to take place this evening.

Technically, the much vaunted burst of shooting stars in tonight’s sky is supposed to start just before midnight. But the wise ones are suggesting that we get ourselves outside, warmed up and our eyes adjusted to the light, by around 11:15 p.m. (eastern time).

The window in which the most meteors will be falling is predicted to be 15 to 20 minutes long, and take place sometime between approximately 11:15 and midnight. So it would seem best to get out there and simply wait. If we’re lucky, the clouds that were scudding across the sky about an hour ago will have dissipated.

Not Enough Heart

I feel as though my last few posts have been far too technical, emphasizing meteor showers and airport telephone charging kiosks, for instance, instead of the aspects of life that stir my soul.

Sometimes, though, the posts I end up writing are based on expediency. They may be keyed to the depth of my tiredness and ultimately simply reflect my commitment to fulfilling my 1111 Devotion and creating my daily Act of Power.

Lately I’ve been feeling as though my circadian rhythms still haven’t caught up to the fact that it’s getting dark really early. And all of a sudden, at just about 10:30, I hit an invisible force field that’s been causing me to fall asleep at my keyboard.

It’s been disconcerting.

Dragging Myself Outside

So here I am. It’s 11:12 p.m. and I am heading out to see if I can witness the AMOs. Karl is asleep on the couch. He’ll express regret that he didn’t come with me to see them (especially if I get outside and the night sky is clear and I manage to see them), but unlike me, he’ll be fine with having seen them vicariously.

While I won’t be able to take any photos, I will report on my experience before posting and going to sleep. I wonder how many of you will be out there at the same time, gazing upward and outward, trying to capture some wonder.

A Bust (Sigh)

Well, I drove myself to a place close by where we often go to experience an expansive vista for celestial events. This evening, perhaps in punishment for my rant against light pollution, there was just enough of a very high level cloud cover to capture an irritating abundance of reflected light, most obviously from the Doylestown area. Indeed, the light was so noticeable that I was actually able to capture it with my iPhone.

Reflected Light Pollution – Photo: L. Weikel

Indeed, everywhere I looked, circling 360 degrees as I stood in the middle of the remote country road, the orangey-yellow glow of artificial light on the ground illuminated the high clouds.

The biggest disappointment, though, was when I checked my Sky Guide App and saw that the Monoceros (from which direction the Alpha Monocerotids emanate) appears to be visible near the Milky Way (which was not discernible at all), and I also should have been able to see the constellation of Orion.

Alas, no dice. It was only when I fully comprehended that the vast, seemingly clear night sky was not even yielding the usual stars and constellations that I realized the high, thin cloud cover was, indeed, filtering out any chance of a ‘cluster’ experience.

One Little Piece of Magic

Even though the short road trip was to no avail meteor shower-wise, I did end up switching my radio from the news program Karl had tuned it to while I was away back to my iPod. I was surprised (but not) and had to smile when the iPod came on at the very beginning of Elton John’s Rocket Man.

What a perfect accompaniment. Turns out I wasn’t alone as I sought to catch a glimpse of this special celestial event. If nothing else, that sense of presence was enough to make the excursion well worth my while, and – if I’m honest? It feels a bit more significant than just a ‘little’ piece of magic.

Thanks, Karl.

(T-736)

Alpha Monocerotids – Day 374

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Alpha Monocerotids

As promised in my slightly cranky post following the underwhelming Leonid meteor showers this past weekend, we have yet another opportunity to connect with the magic of the cosmos this week.

We can only hope that where each of us lives the cloud cover will part and the Alpha Moncerotids (hereinafter called the AMOs) will be easily seen.

Burst of Activity

The coolest part of the AMO meteor shower is that it occurs in a burst that usually lasts between 30-60 minutes total. This differs significantly from most other meteor showers, which can extend for several hours. Even more exciting to anticipate is that the AMOs are expected to generate approximately 400 meteors per hour during the burst of activity.

As you can read in more detail in the articles I’ve linked here and above (and other articles, should you choose to research the phenomenon further), people on the East Coast of the U.S. should check start checking the sky about half an hour to an hour ahead of when the ‘burst’ is expected to begin.

Acclimate Your Eyes

Obviously, ‘arrival time’ could vary slightly from the prediction, but it’s also smart to allow your eyes to get used to the night sky ahead of time. Thus, if it’s mild enough outside, or if you have some good blankets to wrap up in, you might want to get yourself to your favorite viewing spot at around 11:20 p.m.

The actual ‘burst’ is supposed to begin at approximately 11:50 p.m. Making it worth your while to hang around and maybe find a dark (i.e. non light polluted) place where you can point your nose toward the eastern horizon is the fact that so many are supposed to be visible in such a compact period of time.

Hopefully we’ll see something!

(T-737)