stargazing

On a whim, I suggested we have a picnic dinner in the yard the other night. Only a short time before we set out, did I remember it was that time of year where there is a big meteor shower. We had missed the peak of it, the night before – August 11 – but I knew from experience that there would be a number of nights where stargazing would be pretty exciting. Then I texted my brother and sister and mom to remind them too! August 11 is a day we all remember with a mix of sadness and fondness, as it’s also the day we lost our dad.

We packed a basket with wine and mini mason jars, a blanket and warm sweaters. We talked and sipped wine until darkness settled on us, and then we laid down to soak up the peace of the night and watch the sky come alive. The Milky Way was straight overhead. The Big Dipper sat low on the horizon. We both wished we could ID the constellations better! We had a pretty great show of shooting stars. They seemed so bright and low! The night sky fills me with awe and excitement, and makes my brain itch a little with the vastness, and the sense of the depth of what is out there.

I feel amazingly small in a way that brings an inexplicable peace.

Before we headed in we gave a shot at our night time photography skills. We didn’t manage to catch a shooting star in the frame, and the shutter speed was so long the stars were moving (and a little blurry) by the time it snapped, but I think we did alright considering.

Such an incredible world this is. It’s easier than it might sometimes seem, to shift, and regain perspective.