Moony me and the lunar eclipse

I grabbed my camera and tripod, and a flashlight. My hands were really sore from my cat rescue attempt (the saga is here), and the loss of my client. Then there is the anti-Muslim sentiment by those running PM Harper's campaign. It is a sad perspective on the world.
Happily Buster is home and safe this morning, after chasing the moon shine. Dweeb.
 The tripod wouldn't set up properly. I was rising to the challenge, when the clouds rolled in. I gave up. Fiddling around with the settings...it was too frustrating.
I am appreciating the wonderful photos people have taken around the world, they are everywhere! This is an explanation of the event.

The next super moon will be in 2033. I can see hauling myself and my walker outdoors to grab a shot. As if!

Today it will rain, and I will finish my sewing projects. I did house cleaning yesterday, such as it was. There is a saying for that: 'a lick and a promise'? Is that it?!

Daffy, catty, moon

With subzero night time temperatures, and only 2 C. predicted for today, I think my daffys ought to go back to sleep!

Oliver chose sleep, after we gave him his room back- once my brother left town again.

A whirlwind visit from him, Robin lives in B.C. and works in Northern Ontario. Tigger came out to greet him.

What cat bed?

Last night, Oliver konked out after a day mousing.

Oliver, meantime, is out hunting. He's getting a mouse a day.

The moon was amazing early this morning.

Cats were climbing on the night table, anxious to go out and visit mice friends.

I let them out onto the enclosed porch at 5:30 a.m.

Moon madness: March 19, 2011

No, really. Madness. Oliver-the-brave, who terrorizes wild turkey and deer, cringed on the front porch beside me. Something out there was scaring him in the dark.


The moon was coming up through the trees. The setting was perfect.

The neighbour's dogs were howling at the wolves.

How creepy is this?

Soon, the moon was a little above the tree line.

I was frackin' freezing. My baby fingers were starting to freeze, and no, I didn't remember gloves.
I had the tripod, the flashlight (to better see the camera settings), and the videocam.
Which was useless. I was so cold I was shaking!

I thought I'd get the sound of the wolves. The traffic was pretty heavy, fast and loud. No video success at all.

Instead, photos caught, we came indoors, checked out a pretty cold, tired little cat, who had been out in the sun all afternoon huntin', and watched a Midsomer Murder mystery!
Why is the cat so tired, we might ask.
The little cat caught the dang chipmunk, but evidently he now ascribes to the catch and release program. He caught it, let it run away and caught it again.

I threw on coat and boots, and ran like a madwoman, while Oliver stared at me.


Said chippie is safe dreaming dreams of nuts and berries. At least tonight.

Moonlight perigee

Last night Ian Black, our intrepid Ottawa weather forecaster, visitor to many a grade 5 classroom (it's in the gr. 5 Ontario curriculum!), sent a tweet:
'Full moon will be largest in nearly 20 years tonight. Moonrise is at 7:38 pm.'
@BlacksWeather

This is due to apogee and perigee.


SUPER MOON: Watch out for the Moon on Saturday night. It's the biggest full Moon in 18 years. Astronomers call it a "perigee Moon," and it raises extra-high perigean tides. Contrary to some reports, however, this event will not trigger any natural disasters. Science@NASA has the full story.

You can tell what an amateur I am. Mind you, in the dark, with freezing temps! It was much easier to take a good shot in the summer...

The moon is, on average, 384,399.86 km from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth -- which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days -- is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse.

One side of the orbit is 50,002 km closer than the other.

The moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it did last night, making the moon appear bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year.

I've been trying to capture the moon. It is darned tricky. Now, with my tripod, it makes life much easier. I won't bother to tell you how, as there are many pros out there who can give you better guidelines than I.

However, do remember to bracket your exposures, use a tripod, and if you don't have a cable, use the timer setting. That way you don't risk jostling the camera as you press the button!








At the old house, the moonlight on the water was the best part of the scene.

Each month brings another full moon name.

The moon does have an effect on our planet, aside from normal tides. 

 Moon facts :

*  The moon is moving away,  4 cm per year. 

*  A full moon at perigee brings higher ocean tides.

*  This creates tides in the planet's crust, not just in the oceans.

*  Beaches are more polluted during full moon, owing to the higher tides.

Even stars are hard to capture!

Woman by the moon

A tricky item to photograph! Here is another take on the whole attempt! Everything is a learning opportunity!

Signs of the times III

I am watching the skies for signs. Click on the badge meme for more skies!

Children learn by the signs around them:
object =&=> index =&=> symbol =&=> sign
 
The sign, left, lets us know that spring is here: axle limits on vehicles on mushy roads!


There are many objects (a truck), indexes (sounds of a truck, symbols (pictures of a truck, the word truck) and signs that, as visual creatures, give us information about our world. Fight or flight depends upon seeing signs. One widely used approach to the study of the relationships among patterns of perception and meaning is called semiotics.

• a perception of something that exists in the physical world,
• an object or concept to which the perception is said to refer,
• a thought, image or concept that is formed in the mind as a result of the perception and which relates to the object.

Central to semiotics is the notion of the sign.

I have a preoccupation with signs. I've done a couple of posts on signs. 

1. sign, sign, everywhere a sign...

2. more signs of the times

 This morning I thought the sign (rising sun, shadows) said that I was up too early. I was wrong. It was just right. What a great moon!

But, below, these are my favourite signs: the SOUNDS of Spring!








Spring brings an awakening of the earth and our spirits soar with the uplifted singing and winging of the wildlife. These are my photos of the creatures that inhabit our Muskoka. The healing power of nature soothes the soul. 

 

Below is my 'most watched' Spring video: 2311 hits!

Music: Mathew Larkin, Noel Edison, and the Elora Festival Singers. In The Heavenly Kingdom, Anthems and Motets. (I used to sing with the Ottawa Choral Society, which Mathew Larkin  directs!)

Ottawa Choral Society - Artistic Staff

This is Matthew Larkin's fifth season as Music Director of the Ottawa Choral Society. During his tenure he has conducted the Choral Society in a number of ...

What a beautiful night. The moon shimmers in the blackest blue sky. The reflection on the breeze-brushed water shimmers in response to her visage. The stars twinkle overhead. The daytime temperature has fallen from nearly 20C to 12 degrees. There is, still, slight warmth in the night breeze. The chimes gong in their fashion, the wind coming in over the water sings a tune of joy and hope and things that are meant to be.

Our cat, cooped up whilst we were out in the day doing our numerous errands, has decided that the nightlife is just for her. The mice call her name is glee. The moles are busy building underground caverns. She sits and contemplates their open door policies, Buddha-like in her patience and persistence, politician-like they know they can promise her the moon. My husband has been out 3 or 4 times over the course of the football game, in breaks and intermissions, trying to coax her in. But we know that you do not own a cat. Cats own you. She is trying to dispel the angst of her big day. She can never tell when those humans will stay away for a day or two. A cat has to get her center of focus back. Her daily yoga poses and stretches do not seem to be enough to maintain her well-being.

My husband spots her on the railing, a bit funny, as she tends to prefer to sit under the bench, safely hidden from anyone who might want to pick her up. Perhaps she feels more bold in the dark of the night. “Come on in!” he scolds her. There’s a football game to watch. This is her usual position. She tends to nap during the games, as they are far too exciting for a cat. Oops. Lo and behold, it isn’t the cat on the railing, but the fat raccoon sitting on the rail bold as brass. It likes to clean up around the bird feeder for us. Even a ‘coon has to have a purpose in life. It looks as if it was thinking about the offer to come in – making a move towards the door. It is warm inside, there is lots of food, and a ball game to watch. But no, not this time. Its favourite team, San Fran, isn't playing tonight. Perhaps another time!