Full Wolf Blood Moon Total Eclipse

It was exciting to watch the full moon eclipse tonight under clear, cold skies. Being relatively close to the Great Lakes, we generally have more days and nights with at least some cloud than without. The temperature is very cold but it could be colder in mid-January. This moon comes with plenty of labels. As well as being a Wolf Moon, it is a Perigee Moon (super moon), a Blood Moon as well as a totally eclipsed moon. I don't plan to stay up to watch the reverse show as the moon returns to its full brightness in a couple of hours.

Postscript: I did another edit in the morning with my best shots. Photos are hand held with a Canon SX50 superzoom camera.

Winter Solstice

After six months of shortening days, we make a U-turn and enjoy the gradual lengthening of daylight hours. The change is barely noticeable at first but by mid-January the longer days make a difference.

There are numerous holidays around the world that celebrate light. We live about 90 minutes from Niagara Falls, Ontario where there is a Winter Festival of Lights from early November until the end of January. Several kilometers of light displays run from the Rainbow Bridge to Dufferin Islands along with the usual lights on the American and Canadian Falls. It really is a winter wonderland at night and worth visiting if you are in the area.

A natural light show tonight is hidden by a thick cloud cover courtesy of a storm system that brought a lot of rain yesterday and today. The full Cold Moon, a meteor shower and seven planets will appear over the next eight hours.

We are indoors with candles burning and tree lights brightening the room. I made a double chocolate yule log to celebrate this special day as we begin our journey to summer.

Summer's Last Full Moon

“Beauty is a form of genius -
is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation.

It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime,
or the reflection in dark water of that silver shell we call the moon.”

Oscar Wilde

Friday is the Full Corn Moon or Barley Moon, or Fruit Moon, (depending on your preference), the last full moon of summer. The Harvest Moon, which falls in September two years out of three, is the full moon closest to the fall equinox. This year it will appear on October 4th.

We have been blessed with clear, cool skies this week. The moon shines in our bedroom window for much of the night and because of this I am very aware of the presence of a full moon. I like to open the curtains and let the light stream in.

The reflection of a full moon on water is a very peaceful sight, especially when accompanied by the sound of waves hitting the shore. I sat outdoors and watched the light and water well into the night two full moons ago...

...one of the most pleasant of this summer's memories.

Lake Manitou, Ontario

Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the Lord!

from Psalm 148

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Evening and Morning

Lake Manitou, 10:00 PM in the evening

God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Genesis 1:5

The Jewish day begins at sunset, or somewhere between sunset and the appearance of the first three stars. Depending on your proximity to the earth's poles, this would create quite a variance in the beginning of each new day throughout the year. Manitoulin Island is about a five or six hour drive north of our home as the crow flies and the days were notably longer with twilight lasting to just past 10:00 PM.

Evening Moon Rise

We experienced a lot of rain, but the evenings were often calm and beautiful with lovely sunsets and great light for taking pictures. Early morning tended to be calm and sunny too before the rain clouds moved in. The birds would start singing a little past 4:00 AM which is enjoyable or annoying, depending on your body clock. Night time was little more than 6 hours long.

Mother Common Merganser taking her young
to the shallows to feed in the early morning

Evening and morning are my favourite times of day. My family used to leave for road trips in the predawn hours and I liked the empty roads and the emerging light of the new day. I have always wanted to travel to the far north in the summer where the sun never sets. But then, I may never go to bed and sleep is a good thing. These near north days were about perfect and I will remember them during the long nights of winter.

Male Yellow Warbler greeting the day with song


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Big Birds Against the Sky

I remember being surprised the first time I saw a Great Blue Heron perched high above the river in a willow tree. Since then I have visited a local heronry several times and have watched pairs of these large birds nesting and mating on flimsy tree top branches. Still, I look twice when I see them them against the sky rather than wading at the water's edge.


The heron in the first picture stayed in one place for over an hour while I sat below and watched the owl and other birds at the swamp. Its mate perched on the very top of a pine tree a short distance away. I always think of flying dinosaurs when I watch herons in flight and their call sounds harsh and primitive.

Osprey Nest on the Grand River

Last year we watched a pair of Osprey build a large nest across the river from the hospital. They flew by many times with large sticks which they snapped off the tops of dead trees. After a lot of work, they abruptly left and abandoned the nest at the end of June. They have returned this year and possibly have eggs or young in the nest. Time will tell if they stay around this season.


The nest is built right above a walking trail and the birds seemed very upset when people approached their perch last summer. But this year, they appear more tolerant of pedestrian traffic. I stood behind some bushes to take these pictures of the male on the hydro post and the female on the nest.


A couple of days ago, the Snowbirds of the Canadian Armed Forces did a fly by through our city. Our small regional airport is close to the hospital and I heard they would be landing there at 10:20 AM. I took one of my patients outside with me and watched his surprise and delight as the nine planes passed overhead three times with a loud, loud roar.

Snowbirds

I visited Israel in 1977 and watched the Israeli armed forces patrolling the air space between their border and Jordan as we swam in the Dead Sea. The military was ever present on that trip, in great contrast to peace we often take for granted in Canada. Military aircraft raise no cause for alarm when we see them in our skies, and for that I am very grateful.

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Earth Day Urban Skywatch

Today marked Earth Day 2009. Last year I took a number of photos to reflect the theme of the day and posted them here on my Flickr page. April 2008 was warmer than this month as my forsythia was already blooming. Today we had drizzle, snow flurries and cold winds so I did not spend a lot of time outdoors.


On the eve of Earth Day, we had a beautiful sunset as there was a short break in the clouds that have filled our skies all week. I drove northward along the west edge of the city and followed the hydro towers that spread out from a nearby hydro station. A new throughfare has been built here and acres of land have been cleared for new subdivisions and businesses. Urban sprawl is so unattractive with row upon row of identical houses crowded onto small lots.

An abandoned farm destined for "development" lay beneath a pink and blue sky, the boarded up windows of the old homestead glowing eerily in the light of the setting sun. How many new houses will fit on this hill?

The sun illuminated wires, light standards and rooftops as the colours of the sunset changed quickly. I pulled into a nearby strip mall and parked beside garbage dumpsters in the rear to take these pictures. The man made structures were insignificant compared to the grandeur of the sky.

At one point, a pair of sundogs was seen on either side of the sun. Ice crystals in the atmosphere refracted the light creating the phenomenon seen most often on very cold winter days. (I have outlined the sun dogs in this picture if you are unable to see them here)

Cities rise and the natural landscape is paved over, rerouted and subdued. Man controls the power coursing through wires and grids, but his efforts are child-like compared to the power and beauty of the sun and the atmosphere.

Does the earth need to be saved by mankind?

Or is it mankind who needs to be saved from destroying himself?

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Spring Time White and Blue

I wondered what the view would be like from this airplane as it flew across the waxing Pascal moon last week. The moon is full today but it has disappeared from the daytime sky for now.


I had been out looking for the first pussy willows of the season and finally found a stand of them at the edge of a swamp. All of the lower branches had already been cut by people wishing to make a spring bouquet so I just admired the furry white catkins against the clear sky.


The flower of this willow is one of our earliest signs of spring. I did manage to reach one small branch and have it in water at home. It has come into full flower with miniature yellow stamens and the leaves are starting to come out in the warm indoor air. I have heard a branch can rooted and planted in soil and may see if it survives in my garden. But I doubt that our dry, sandy soil will support a willow that prefers wet roots.


My best early spring treat was this beautiful Eastern Bluebird perched on a wire on a country road along the river. Eastern Bluebirds are not commonly seen in our area but efforts are being made to encourage them to nest here. This bird and its mate were checking out a numbered Bluebird house that had been placed on a post in the field.

These white Tundra Swans were making the spring journey north to their arctic nesting grounds. This day was favourable for migration with light winds and clear skies.

Spring sky watching is most rewarding!

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Winter's Last Sunset

Tomorrow is the vernal equinox. While that may not be a big deal in equatorial parts of the earth, in the north it marks the end of the season of long, dark nights. Our days will lengthen steadily for the next three months and nature will experience its annual rebirth. Tonight's sunset was lovely, and I am not sorry to see that winter is coming to an end.

"Harshness vanished. A sudden softness
has replaced the meadows' wintry grey.
Little rivulets of water changed
their singing accents. Tendernesses,

hesitantly, reach toward the earth
from space, and country lanes are showing
these unexpected subtle risings
that find expression in the empty trees."

Rainer Maria Rilke, Early Spring

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Peek a Blue!

Clouds, fog, wind, rain, sleet, snow...

The weather has been less than inspiring so far this month.
A peek of blue is welcome even for just a few moments.

Streamers blow off the lake
bringing snow showers and flurries in their path...
here they are and there they go.

Snow falls behind the red barn but as I drive closer, it disappears.

Peek a BLUE, I see you...
Please get larger and stay a lot longer!

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The Sky's the Limit!

The imagination of mankind knows no limit. What we can actually achieve does have limits even though those boundaries are pushed back further all the time. These pictures represent the whimsical pursuits of imagination and our inner desire to be bigger, higher, and stronger than others around us. Reaching upward to the sky, even in play empowers us.

Whether it is a hot air balloon ride with Mr. Peanut or a ferris wheel at a small carnival, we get a thrill when moving away from the force of gravity.

The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario has this giant spider on display in its plaza. Maman, is a 9.27 metre (30-foot) gargantuan bronze spider created by Louise Bourgeois. She carries a sac of 20 pure white marble eggs under her belly. "Spiders, with their ability to fabricate complex and calculated webs, serve as a natural metaphor for creativity. This artist intended this sculpture to be an ode to the artist’s mother, who was a restorer of tapestries." (source)

Our efforts to reach for the skies continue to be inspired by nature, the birds, the sun, the moon and stars. Who cannot help but admire the crescent moon and Venus on a clear, cold night? So simple, so beautiful, so beyond our reach...but we can imagine.

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Bare Branches

My mother said to me,
"When one sees the tree in leaf one thinks
the beauty of the tree is in its leaves,
and then one sees the bare tree."
Samuel Menashe

There is lace in every living thing:

the bare branches of winter,
the patterns of clouds, the surface of water
as it ripples in the breeze....
Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader)

Bare trees stand proudly
Knowing that spring will return
To clothe them in green
Tanja Cilia

God loved the birds and invented trees.

Man loved the birds and invented cages.
Jacques Deval

Photos: 1. Clear skies over Guelph Lake, Ontario
2. Sunset over the Speed River, Cambridge Ontario
3. Tree at noon by the Grand River, Cambridge, Ontario
4. Common Redpoll at Riverside Park, Cambridge, Ontario

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Skywatch Over a Frozen Swamp

Just after sunrise

I enjoy visiting cities and being in crowds of people from time to time. Toronto is always interesting and our trip to New York City last year was a great experience. We mingled with many other Winterlude visitors in Ottawa and walked through several tourist areas. I was ready for bed before 10PM each night, thoroughly tired out from fresh air and exercise. But my daughters...well they are still on young adult schedules where night is for fun and morning is for sleeping in, especially on holidays.

Hoarfrost

I tiptoed out of the hotel room each morning at 6:30 AM and drove 15 km to a greenbelt area in nearby Nepean while the others slept. An extensive trail system is found here in an area of forests, swamps and meadows. In spite of the early morning cold, it was a beautiful spot to see the sun rise and watch the birds and animals start their daily search for food. Heavy hoarfrost was on tree branches and reeds until the sun rose high enough to burn it off.

Clear skies over the frozen swamp

I read online that there was to be a guided birding tour one morning but no one else showed up. The trail was well marked so I set off to explore it on my own with my walking poles and ice cleats. I met a few other friendly hikers including an older man who was hand feeding chickadees and putting out carrot pulp from his juicer for the deer. Old Boomers who feed wildlife and make their own juice are quite safe to be around in my opinion, even if they are strangers. This man told me I was on the wrong trail for the guided birding but he showed me a tree where he had seen a Barred Owl the week before. Then he was off to share his food in another section of the bush.

Female Pileated Woodpecker in the morning light

I was delighted to see several Pileated Woodpeckers in the dead trees around the swamp. The entire trail was full of various woodpeckers and their hammering was heard in every direction. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers have been reported in the area but I only saw Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers along with the Pileateds.

Two hours on a trail like this leaves me feeling invigourated, unlike pavement pounding which tires me quickly. It was a good thing it was so cold as I would have been tempted to stay much longer if my hands and feet were not so numb.

More about this trail in a future post...

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Clear and Cold, Blue and White

Each work day I walk from the parking lot toward this building. My work place is saturated with natural light and has many windows looking out on the lovely grounds. This week brought more snow followed by clear skies and very cold temperatures. Follow me on my morning commute to this familiar place.


Before I leave, our dog goes for a brief outing to a post in front of the house. The snowbanks are so high he can not find a tree or pole to mark and it is impossible for him to run across the yard as the snow is now deeper than he is. My husband spends time outdoors almost every day to keep the walk and driveway clear of new and drifting snow but it is getting harder to find a place to put it all.


This is the view from my car window as I back out the driveway. It is impossible to see the road because of the high snow banks and we inch out cautiously hoping any approaching vehicle will honk or slow down to let us out.


It is nice to arrive at work in the sunlight. When the clock changes to Daylight Savings Time next month I will be arriving at dawn again until the days lengthen further. Today the sun was climbing over the river that runs below the hospital.

Cloudless winter mornings are cold, -18 C on this day*, but the sun has enough warmth to melt the roof top snow a little, creating icicles on the eaves. We have had enough snow to damage some flatter roofs where icy accumulations have built up. But the snow and blue skies do make a lovely winter picture. The house used to be a residence for female staff in the days when this hospital was a TB sanatorium.


This is the original sanatorium, now just a wing of a much larger health care complex. The first floor window arches are unique and graceful. The old balconies where patients used to sit in all seasons to get sunshine and fresh air are no longer used except by squirrels and birds.

One of my patients has spent most of her stay in bed, curled in a fetal position, resisting any attempts to get her involved in treatment. Today I wheeled her to a bright window overlooking the grounds and she lifted her head showing a flicker of interest in the white world and blue sky. I sat beside her and held her hand as she talked about her home and her life, the sunlight seeming to drawing her out of her shell for a few moments.

These are the best days of winter and the blue skies are appreciated even more when they appear after several days of grey dampness and snowstorms. And with this much snow, we need spring to come slowly with sunshine rather than rain to slowly melt all that white a bit at a time.

* this morning Feb 5th it is -29C at 8 AM... going to plug in the car!

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