My alarm shrieked at 1:45 am this morning. An odd hour indeed (and yes I am exceptionally sleepy today), but there is a perfectly good explanation. A total lunar eclipse happened last night, coinciding with the winter solstice. My daughter and I put on coats and mittens and scarves and blankets and went out into the back yard to see what we could see. We looked up and were amazed at the almost unreal beauty of a cloudless sky filled with a ruddy red moon and many bright stars. Occasionally a bit of fog would float in the periphery, framing the scene above, but never obscuring that intimidating moon. While I leaned back to watch, Becca brought out her camera and tripod and started snapping shots. Well, snapping is inaccurate. The longer exposure needed to capture light in a dark winter sky made her camera sound like it was nearly frozen.
As I lay there watching this grown up child of mine capturing the moon, my mind went back to what seems like a few days ago. A mom and two kids camping out in one bedroom, watching a huge red moon through the window panes. I don’t remember how old my children were, just that they were old enough to wake up and watch in awe, but too young to stay awake for all of it. They vaguely remember that night. I remember it well – one of those treasures of motherhood that will be tucked away until the next middle-of-the-night excursion.
I wrote the following last fall. Since blogging time has been preempted by the chaos of fostering, adopting out and now owning one of the kittens, I am being lazy and reusing my snow rave. Plus, I am again bummed by this winter's lack of snow . . .
I was born during a blizzard. Either that was incredibly appropriate or a monumental influence on my infant psyche.
I don't remember a time when I didn't love snow. The more the better. Blizzards are cool - trying to see across the street while it's piling up in the driveway. I know, I know! You're probably yelling "WHAT?" in disbelief. You hate cold and snow and gray days. Believe me, I try to be sympathetic. I know snow can be dangerous, costly and annoying. I know it can ruin plans and force your heating bills up. It has postponed a few trips in my life. I try, but I'm beyond all help.
The high today is predicted at 78° - in mid October. People are loving it. I'm thinking - summer is supposed to be over (anything over 75 is summer to me). I'm sure you think I need medication for this. A chance of snow is forecast in a couple of days. You're looking at the 50% chance and thinking "Aw man!" Not me - I will watch it over the next couple of days hoping for the 50% to climb to 100%. "c'mon get up there...yay 60% now!...woot 70%!...dang, we're back to 50%" It's odd, I know.
I root for the temperature to drop - below freezing is best. (Of course I hate the heating bills, but as I said before - I'm not always rational.) I HATE, LOATHE, & DESPISE heat - anything above 85 or 90. On a hot day you can only take off so much (really) and it drains you, makes you tired and prickly. Cold grabs your nose & wakes you up. Brisk days put a zing in your step. (Stop shaking your head.) And when you get inside it's all about snuggling up in sweatshirts & afghans & sipping hot chocolate. Not - get away, you're sweaty...need more ice.
Snowaholics (I actually wondered why spellchecker didn't recognize that - ha) are a persecuted people. My peers (husband included) gripe about the snow & cold. I usually keep my mouth shut to let them be content in their misery as well as to avoid the eyerolls & sideways glances. Snowhaters are a harsh group. Mention your love of snow as they grumble through their sweater & scarf and you WILL feel the wrath. (Feeling guilty at all ? . . . I thought not.)
I leave you with these thoughts as a plea for leniency...
Breathtaking white landscapes (and without snow, yes, naked trees can be scenic), snowmen, snowball fights, snow angels, snow forts, Daisy bounding through drifts, no yard work, using 4 wheel drive, sledding, wearing layers & big ole boots & gloves, building fires, thick fuzzy socks, snoozing on a snowy afternoon, Christmas & Christmas goodies (MUST be cold & snowy to truly enjoy those), seeing your breath, catching snow flakes, bragging rights over whose drifts are higher, moisture for the fields, bragging rights over who drove through the worst storm on the worst roads for the longest time, no bugs.
Don't you just LOVE it? (at least a little bit) I DO!!!
