look up

Closer and closer – Day 768

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Saturn & Jupiter 12/18/2020 – Photo: L. Weikel

Closer and Closer

If you haven’t taken a walk at sunset lately, I implore you to do so soon. Like tomorrow. And Sunday. Better yet, walk at sunset on Monday to celebrate the Winter Solstice and behold the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the western sky. As I’ve been documenting with photos and the occasional post, these two planets are inching closer and closer to each other, culminating on the same day as winter officially begins here in the Northern Hemisphere.

One thing I’ve come to realize from writing this 1111 Devotion is that I’m an astronomy nerd. I never realized just how much I cherish my ability to look up. I’ve also discovered how much joy it gives me to share the awe I feel whenever we have the chance to witness the many mysteries that surround and visit us here on Earth.

I also realize that when I want to deliberately refrain from writing about the comings and goings and doings and undoings of our fellow human beings, it helps for me to focus on the stars and the planets and the luminaries.

Tomorrow Night

Perhaps tomorrow night I’ll write a little more about the significance of the practically simultaneous occurrence of the Winter Solstice and the so-called Grand Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. I suspect you’ve noticed that occurrences here on Earth have rather reliably been tracking the influences the movement of the largest (and furthest away from us) planets in our solar system, specifically Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

These planets are much more slow moving and have a distinctively different ‘flavor’ of impact upon us humans than the more rapidly moving planets. The movements of those outer planets is definitely more profound.

In the meantime, look up, my friends. Appreciate the wonder that surrounds us and unfolds in amazing ways, right above our heads, every single day.

 

Jupiter and Saturn getting very cozy – 12/18/2020; Photo: L. Weikel

(T-343)

Pumpkin Array – Day 720

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Pumpkin Array – Photo: L. Weikel

Pumpkin Array

What a wonderful lineup of gourd-gutting creativity! Behold the 2020 Blue Moon Halloween Pumpkin Array.

I’d like to be chattier tonight but it’s not in the cards. Upon reflection, I have to laugh at that statement. Not only am I not feeling conversational, I’m not picking any cards for us, either.

But that’s at least partially because I feel we got a lot to chew on with last night’s cards. I did not get a chance to sit quietly and engage in any reflection today, so I’m hoping to find some time tomorrow. You know…we have that whole extra hour to indulge in.

Headlines

There are new stories and reports of clashes between supporters of the two presidential candidates, as well as some rather horrific descriptions of people marching in solidarity to the polls in North Carolina, only to be met by pepper spray and arrests.

Hang on, I have to check my calendar. What year is this?

The tension everywhere is palpable. I’ve actually had to remind myself several times today to just disengage from my thoughts, look up at the sky, the clouds, the sunset, the moon, and just breathe.

It helped. So I remind you, too. Look up. Breathe deep. Smile.

31 October 2020 – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-391)

Look Up – Day 548

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
What I saw when I looked up – Photo: L. Weikel

Look Up

I realize many of you are starting to gain an appreciation for my fixation on clouds. Karl teased me this morning about what I wrote about them in last night’s post, but you know what? I’m standing my ground. Or maybe, more appropriately, I’m standing my ground but keeping my head in the clouds.

As we took our walk early this evening, I of course was enchanted once again by the most peculiar shapes of clouds that were contorting themselves above the fields. It was hard to imagine the dynamics of the air aloft that would create such convoluted shapes.

Nevertheless, today, I found myself resisting ‘seeing’ anything specific in those shapes other than their innate beauty.

Weird clouds – Photo: L. Weikel

A Rare Moment

All along our walk today, I found myself looking up. Maybe it’s a metaphor. Maybe there’s something within my being that wants ‘things’ to be looking up. Or maybe I just want a change in perspective.

I don’t think it really matters one way or another. The point is that I looked up as we walked through one of our oft-frequented ‘tree tunnels,’ and I felt awe sweep over me.

The photo at the top of this post is what I saw.

I grant you – in the grand scheme of things, perhaps it is one of the least special photos I’ve taken or shared. But just the way the trees framed the periwinkle blue of the sky brought a rare moment of peace to my heart and soul.

And then we turned the corner – and the clouds performed.

Weird clouds from afar – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-563)