Full Moon On San Francisco Bay

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The View From San Francisco Bay

On 12 July 2014, we all celebrated a Super Full Moon. A full moon receives this designation because "the centers of these full moons and the center of Earth are less than 361,863 kilometers (224,851 miles) apart." (In case you're counting...)

Brightness Of A Full Moon

The full moon was so brilliant, I was almost convinced that it generated its own light. I had to remind myself that all this light was in actuality the sun shining off the moon's surface, quietly exerting its influence in the background. In essence, the sun touches both our days and nights.

According to Science News at NASA:

 
“The scientific term for the phenomenon is “perigee moon.” Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon’s orbit.
The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side (“perigee”) about 50,000 km closer than the other (“apogee”).
Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit seem extra big and bright.”
 

For this auspicious event, I had the good fortune to watch the moon rise from a boat in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

San Francisco Bay Works For A Living

As we departed from Sausalito and headed out on the water, a container ship was spotted. Its presence served as a reminder that the Bay is not just for looks and entertainment; it is an active, deep water, working port.

The sun settled down for an evening rest after a long day's work. One of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, touched by the sinking rays, kissed the sun goodnight.

The Fog Comes On Little Cat Feet

Everyone living in San Francisco, for any length of time, becomes familiar with the poem, Fog, by Carl Sandburg. Although he was inspired by fog he saw over Chicago harbor, San Franciscans claim it as their own.

Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

From the clear skies on the Bay, we observed its tendrils quietly stretch over The City. It was a vivid demonstration of how strongly someone's perspective is shaped based on where they are (literally and figuratively).

The Sun Sets Over San Francisco Bay

As the sun set more deeply, a layer of pink icing was added on top of the fog over The City, making everything rosy. Yes, on San Francisco Bay, you can see through rose-colored glasses, without the glasses.

Back To Sausalito

The boat headed back to the dock in Sausalito. Pink streaks in the sky welcomed us home and the delicate wisps of clouds comforted us as a good omen.

Two More Super Full Moons Coming

Two more super full moons are still to come in 2014: those dates are 10 August and 09 September. Of the three super full moons we will have in 2014, the one in August will be the closest to the Earth.

Moon over the bay

 

Happy Fourth Of July

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Independence Day – Fourth Of July

We love you, Great Britain, but we've got to go.

“It's not you, it's me.”

No, actually, it IS you. And we don't want to pay your taxes. Especially without representation.

The United States is celebrating its independence from the rule of Great Britain and the birth of a sovereign nation – the United States of America.

A Federal Holiday

Although Independence Day has been celebrated since the 18th century, it was in 1870 that the U.S. Congress made 04 July a federal holiday. It then became a paid federal holiday in 1941. 

We like the paid part. To this day, I can remember my joy at having my first paid holiday. There I was, at home, eating bonbons (well, not really, but it sounds good) and getting paid for it.

Do you remember some of your first paid holidays?

The Declaration Of Independence

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were among the key players in the creation of the Declaration of Independence. They are considered the founding fathers of the United States of America.

It is noteworthy that Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be sacred and un-deniable..." and it was Franklin who changed it to the phrase we all know:

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident...”

On 02 July 1776, the Continental Congress of the American colonies voted in favor of independence from Great Britain. Two days later on 04 July, the delegates ratified and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The 4th of July is the day celebrated as the birth of American Independence. As a significant patriotic holiday, its most common symbol is the American flag. The word “patriotism” comes from the Latin “patria” meaning “fatherland.”

Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson working on the Declaration of independence.
Painter, Jean leon gerome ferris, 1900

 

The 2nd Or 4th Of July

Humans wouldn't be humans without disagreement. Some founding fathers, John Adams in particular, believed we should celebrate the 2nd of July, when Congress first voted in favor of the resolution. In fact, as a protest, even when personally invited, Adams refused to join any 4th of July celebrations. 

But here's a little Twilight Zone moment.

John Adams died on 04 July 1826 at the age of 90. 

Coincidence? Or did his spirit, in some fashion, relent and claim the 4th of July by dying on that day?

However, the plot thickens. Thomas Jefferson also died on the exact same day at the age of 83, just hours before John Adams. 

04 July 1826.

Relax Into The Red, White And Blue

For the Fourth of July, you might ponder the principles of the Declaration of Independence. What do they mean to you?

 
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
 

This preamble is considered an enduring statement of human rights and a moral compass for the United States. All men are created equal has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language."

Do you have a favorite founding father?  

Thomas Jefferson? Benjamin Franklin? Or fiercely stubborn John Adams? 

Enjoy your 4th of July holiday.

And oh, by the way, we still love you, Great Britain.

This song is timeless in its message even though it is from many decades ago.

Be sure to take a listen.

 

Summer Solstice Abundance

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Summer Solstice Is Here

Summer kicks off with the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year.

During this time of expanding light in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun pours out its energy. As we move deeper into summer, the Earth responds with greater abundance.

Abundance Of The Farmers Market

One of the joys of summer is the farmers market in Davis, California. In this part of the state, we benefit from the wide variety of produce from the Central Valley basin as well as its long growing season.

Now that I've started canning and preserving, it's a blessing to have organic produce. Turning a delectable bounty into delicious jams means we'll have a bit of summer sunshine during the winter.

Canning Cherries

The organic cherries have just finished at the market. I was able to find time to make cherry-chocolate jam, cherry-port wine jam, and cherry-lemon marmalade. The cherry-chocolate jam is spoon-worthy. It's so good, you can eat it by itself, right out of the jar.

If someone ever gives you their own home-canned cherries, know that they hold you in high esteem. Canning cherries is a labor of love when you pit each and every one of them by hand.

The Abundance Of Summer

Summer is a time to relax into the abundance of the season. An abundance of sunlight translates into long, warm days.

An abundance of stone fruits and berries fill our markets. We relax in pools and lakes and read books while we swing in hammocks. We take extra time for rest and relaxation. Our hearts open to the fullness that surrounds us.

Enjoy the abundance of summer.

 

Marsh Wren Competes With Van Damme

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A Marsh Wren And The Joys Of Nature

This humble marsh wren is certainly talented. He sings at the top of his voice. With gusto, as they say. All this, while doing the splits on cattail reeds.

No one can accuse this little bird of not fully participating in the moment.

Jean Claude Van Damme In Epic Volvo Ad

When I saw the marsh wren tweet by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah – I couldn't help but think of the Jean-Claude Van Damme video with his epic splits on two Volvo trucks. Van Damme's splits are crazy impressive, but I must say this little marsh wren is giving him some competition.

Personally, I find Van Damme's splits compelling at the age of 53. The Volvo advertisement picked a captivating choice of music, Only Time, by Enya. Two perfectly positioned 18-wheeler Volvo trucks roll smoothly backwards with early light gleaming off golden paint as the sun rises across the landscape of Spain.

Impressive.

I Confess, I Used To Drive A Volvo

To be honest, I'm probably a bit partial to the Van Damme/Volvo video because I drove a Volvo S-40 T5 AWD for nine years, that I first picked it up in Germany.

I drove that Volvo all over Europe for 4 wonderful years. What an awesome piece of machinery on the German Autobahn. I definitely miss driving 100 mph in the early morning on an empty, silent Autobahn that had no speed limit. But, that's a story for another time.

Traveling the highways in Europe, I was always a bit surprised to look up to see big rigs with the mark of Volvo or Mercedes Benz. I'm used to seeing those marks on cars in the U.S. – but not on long haul, transport trucks.

In the video, Volvo shows off the impressive and steady precision of its big rigs.

Back to the topic of splits – I dutifully acknowledge anyone who can do the splits, no matter the species. Between the two of them, Van Damme and the marsh wren, I'm not sure which one has outdone the other.

Here's a link to the song of a Marsh Wren so you can be alerted when one is near and perhaps observe its lovely splits.

 

Hummingbird aka Kiss-Flower

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Hummingbirds And Honey Bees

Getting ready for work one morning, I looked out my kitchen window and spied a hummingbird flitting amongst the flowering bushes in my backyard.

As the hummingbird lifted up from sipping a flower, it stopped mid-air. A honey bee had appeared and the two of them hovered in space directly facing one another. Long moments passed while they had, what appeared to be, quite a serious conversation.

Inter-Species Conversation

It was amazing to see this take place, suspended in the air, right in front of me. Remarkable, because hummingbirds and bees are some of the rare species that can actually hover.

They both flew a few inches further and then stopped again, bee nose to hummingbird beak. It would appear there was more to say. It really did seem that they chatted with purpose and intensity.

Then, the honey bee buzzed off into space and the hummingbird zipped back to another tempting flower. I couldn't tell who had the final word.

For the rest of the morning I wondered what that conversation was all about. Perhaps they were discussing the merits of the nearby flowers. Perhaps they were disputing territorial rights. Or, perhaps, it was a simple inter-species conversation of, "Hey, I see you. You can hover too!"

One of the unsolved, only witnessed, mysteries of nature.

Also Known As Kiss-Flower

One of my friends, whose heritage hails from Portugal, informed me that the word for hummingbird in Portuguese is "beija-flor."  This translates literally into "Kiss-Flower."

Talk about poetic language. "It was delightful to see a Kiss-Flower in my garden today."

Connecting With Nature

 It's possible to deepen your connection with plants and wildlife while observing the many creatures who share the planet with us.

There is much to be learned from nature, even in our own backyards. Watching hummingbirds and honey bees as they flit from blossom to blossom and listening to their buzzing sounds as they zoom here and there, our hearts are reminded to rejoice in the natural beauty that surrounds us.

May you be blessed with many hummingbirds and honey bees in your garden.

 

Heart Shine This Holiday Weekend

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Holiday Weekend

Woohoo. It's the holiday weekend and for many people that means time off from work.

Three days off. Time to let your heart and body relax.

Do you have plans?

Hopefully some of your weekend plans include a little "R & R" – rest and recreation.

Relax And Let Your Heart Shine

A picnic or barbecue. Maybe something simple like taking a blanket and a good book to the park. 

Perhaps some time to sit on your back porch with a cup of coffee, allowing a bit of time to set down the smartphone.

Whatever you have planned, give yourself permission to relax whether you're munching at a picnic or resting in a lounge chair.

There Is Virtue In Rest

Relax into rest and allow it to replenish your energy that gets sapped during the busy work week. Transcendental Meditation is a wonderful way to access a deep, healing rest that touches all aspects of our lives.

Activity and rest are both important elements in our lives. It’s not just one or the other. Both aspects, in balance, contribute to our well-being.

Enjoy your holiday weekend.

 

She Laughs Without Fear Of The Future

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It's Mother's Day!

 

Strength And Dignity

What a wonderful moment to acknowledge and remember all the women who have touched our lives.

There is a quote in Proverbs where it says:

...she laughs without fear of the future.

That line captures an essence of her courage. It's hard, sometimes, not to fear the future, isn't it?

What do we fear about the future?  It can be fear of the unknown, of hardships that might befall us, aging and illness, world situations, or losses that may be coming.

And, to be honest, all of these challenges will happen at one point or another in our lives, won't they? Yet, this woman will meet life's challenges with courage and love.

Happy Mother's Day

Do you know women like this? Perhaps you're one of them.