Full Moon

Big, Beautiful Birds

They are a sight to see. They come by the hundreds this time of year. They fly overhead about same time each day. If I had to plan an event around their appearance it would be somewhere between 4 and 6 pm. They are loud…so loud that I can hear them honking as they fly overhead even when I’m in my house with the windows closed. When I’m outside, I can also hear the flapping of their wings. It’s a wonderful sound.

They are Canadian Geese. They are beautiful to see in the air and on the water. However, if they are on land, in the yard, or on sidewalks they will leave a horrible mess behind. But at Pond Three, the blacktop path is clear and the hundreds of Canadian Geese land and stay on the water.

Photo taken one fall day of Pond Three, 2018.

Our neighborhood has three ponds (I have affectionately named Pond One, Pond Two and Pond Three) with a walking path around them. A few geese hang out in the ponds all year…in the spring it’s fun to watch the goslings as they swim across the water all lined up in a row, in-between mom and dad.

Ten little goslings all in a row. Photo taken in May, 2018.

The adults can be very protective of their offspring and hiss loudly if you get too close when they are out of the water and on the edge of the pond. It can be a bit intimidating having very large birds walk toward you hissing.

While on a walk last spring I came upon a women using a cane. I smiled and said hi as I passed her by. Soon after, I came upon two adult geese with their young on the edge of the path. As two adult birds started hissing and walking towards me I stopped to wait for my new path companion so we could walk by the geese together using her cane to wave in front of us for a little protection.

Photo taken earlier this fall on Pond Two.

Last evening the rising, full moon was huge as we walked around Pond Three. It was stunning. The pond was already full of geese but more geese kept coming, flying over our heads and landing in the pond…their silhouette in the dusk-colored sky was breathtaking. We stopped in awe for several minutes just to watch the magnificent sight. (I didn’t have my iPhone along for a photo,)

My husband asked the question…do the geese stop at Pond Three because it has open water, or does Pond Three have open water because it attracts hundreds of geese? I don’t know the answer but I do know they are beautiful and strong and noisy…we wondered if they make noise all night long?

Soon the Canadian Geese will be on their way again, flying to southern parts of the United States. They do seem to enjoy this stopover in Northfield and I’m glad.

Severe Storms, Beautiful Concert

A few days ago a storm passed through Southeastern Minnesota, near our town…or should I say through our town. There were straight-line winds that may have been a tornado, but not confirmed as of yet. There were other tornado touchdowns in towns near-by.

Thousands of branches blocking sidewalks, roads and driveways.

It wreaked havoc as though it was a tornado. Thankfully our house, and trees survived. We had a lot of debris in our yard, several branches from our neighbor’s trees, and two large branches from our own back yard that had to be sawed off.

A neighbor’s tree fell over the driveway…not on the house thankfully.

When the winds came up that night I could tell it was different than any other storm I’ve experienced. We went to our lower level when the sirens went off.

In a very few minutes a lot of trees were uprooted, snapped in half and fallen over creating one big mess. Several farm buildings were either flattened or significantly damaged within one or two miles from our house. Thankfully no lives were lost.

On our way to friends…a farm in ruins. Notice the the Harvestore silo blown over.

During the next two days we cleaned up our yard and offered help to others who had severe damage to their properties.

Saturday evening we were tired but I decided I still wanted to go to the St. Olaf Orchestra Homecoming concert and I was glad I did. It was energizing.

Classes at St. Olaf started a couple weeks ago so that meant the students had only two weeks to prepare and practice for this concert. We all sat in awe after the conductor reminded us of that, because the pieces were difficult and the orchestra sounded really good.

Of course, the beloved conductor, who has been at St. Olaf for many years, has a lot to do with the success. He’s kind, fun, and animated. You can tell he’s enjoying his job very much and you know you’ll hear a good concert if he’s conducting.

When the concert was over I walked out into a clear, night sky with an almost full moon (9/25). What a striking and beautiful culmination to a tough couple of days in the after math of severe storms. I was blessed.

The Blue Moon

Early this morning when I looked out our bedroom window I was in awe as I saw the beautiful, full moon. Later, on my way out of town along Highway 1, the super (closest to earth), blue (second full moon in a month) moon again gave me pause to wonder. There in the western skyline was the huge, white disc hanging in the blue sky, over the farm fields covered with bright snow. It was a phenomenal sight. Behind me I noticed in my rear view mirror the sun was shining brilliantly just over the horizon announcing a new day. I marveled at seeing the moon in the west at the same time seeing the sun in the east.

I guess the moon just couldn’t set yet. It seemed (and was to be) extra large, like it was puffing itself up to show off. I have always liked the moon. I decided it’s because I can look at it. One really shouldn’t look at the sun, but it’s fun to see the moon in the sky, especially a full moon at night.

I pulled over to take a picture but it’s really hard to take a photo of the moon, especially with an old iPhone, my only camera theses days. But I tried.

I praise God…for his amazing creation, both sun and moon…and stars, and trees and fields and birds and animals and…

Genesis 1:14-18 “Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. ¹⁵Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. ¹⁶God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, ¹⁸to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.”

Moon Shine

The skies are clear and there is plenty of moon shine these nights. The moon was full on January 1, 2018. It is not only a full moon but also a supermoon. A supermoon happens when the full moon coincides with the moon’s closest distance to earth in its orbit. Supermoons make the moon appear a little brighter and closer than normal.

There will be a full moon on January 31, 2018 too. And because it will be the second full moon in the same month it is called a blue Moon. This will also be a supermoon. This time it will also involve a total lunar eclipse, which is when the earth passes directly between the sun and the moon and casts a shadow on the moon.

I can sometimes see the moon outside my bedroom window while lying in bed. It is a beautiful sight. I find the moon very interesting. When I was much younger I wrote a letter to Pan Am Airways (an airline now defunct) and I asked to be put added to their waiting list of passengers interested in flying to the moon. They actually wrote back and said their list was full! Bummer! I believe I still have that letter in a memory box somewhere.

Enjoy the full, blue and super moons, no matter where you live.

Celebrating Life

I’ve felt much sadness from the news of the shooting in Las Vegas earlier this week. I think of all the parents grieving over their beloved children, no matter what age the children are. I believe God is grieving over this violent act too.

So I am ever more grateful to be able to give both my sons a hug this week. Our oldest son lives in the cities, our younger son lives in Mozambique, Africa but is here in Minnesota for a visit. I am grateful for these two wonderful, healthy, young men and their families.

We have had a nice visit with our youngest son, the father of two of our three grandchildren.

We went for a hike and ate a picnic lunch at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park,

and sat around a bonfire in our back yard under a full moon, along with sharing meals and stories together…and a little shopping for gifts to bring to his family back home.

He met his five-month old niece for the first time too. We are celebrating life!

Art and Nature

On our way to Big Woods State Park (Nerstrand) Saturday night we stopped at Frederick Somers Studio and Gallery along the way. It was part of the 2016 South Central Minnesota Studio Art Tour.

The artist, Fred Somers, along with his wife, warmly welcomed us. We were mesmerized while looking at his beautiful painted landscapes with brilliant color and lighting. He also paints portraits. There was a portrait of his grandson in the studio and the way he painted the light in the blond hair was stunning. How does he do that? He definitely has a special gift from God.

We arrived at the studio a half hour before closing and we were the only ones in the studio when he started sharing his faith journey with us. It is an amazing story and was a privilege to hear it from him. It was a precious time together and when we were leaving he shook our hands, not so much as to say thanks for stopping, but, as he said, he wanted touch each fellow believer before we left. We left there in awe of this artist, his story and his paintings.

The rest of the evening…a short hike, and great bonfire under the full Harvest Moon at Nerstrand (without jackets because of the mild temperatures for mid-October)… made for a lovely evening. One we soon won’t forget.

Click here for a link to his website.

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There was a beautiful full moon the other night and whenever I see one it always leaves me breathless. I was reminded of a poem my son wrote for me several years ago. He wrote it after we witnessed a beautiful moon rise over a field of wheat moving with the wind that reminded us of the sea, or Lake Superior.

MOONWALK

Where the sky touches the water,

the field of wheat meets God’s beautiful creation.

Isn’t it neat?

The water displays its glistening haze,

The golden wheat stands tall, with no fear at all.

The sky shines bright in the beginning of night,

The moon is snow-blinding white.

Good Night.