Solstice

Here we are at the mid-point of the year, the summer solstice. The seasons fly by these days! I love these light nights, and always mourn when we start the downward path to darkness again. 

A couple of nights ago, at 10.30 pm, in the throes of England's first World Cup match (!), I got up to draw the curtains and I noticed the thinnest crescent moon - a waxing crescent - and the brightly shining Venus in very close conjunction. I found this rather thrilling! The match was rather thrilling too, it has to be said: England 4, Croatia 2. A good start to our campaign. 

Wolf moon

Clear skies and cold nights... I woke in the night and I thought the lights were on outside as it was so bright but, when I looked out, it was luminous moonlight. When I woke again as daylight dawned, the full moon was right between the houses and the church tower. It was the Wolf Moon, a 'supermoon', which occurs when the moon is at its closest point to earth in its elliptical orbit. 

Splendid to see, though I really don't have the right camera equipment to do it full justice in a photo. 

Waxing crescent

 

As the sun set earlier this week, the moon rose, neatly placed between the trees. 

The waxing moon, when the illuminated portion of the moon is increasing, generally symbolises growth, new beginnings and the manifestation of intentions. It's a time for setting goals, taking action, and building momentum towards desired outcomes. (So says AI anyway!) 

'Be the moon and inspire people, even when you're far from full.'     K. Tolnoe

'Don't worry if you're making waves just by being yourself. The moon does it all the time.'     Scott Stabile

'Those are the same stars, and that is the same moon, that look down upon your brothers and sisters, and which they see as they look up to them, though they are ever so far away from us, and each other.'   Sojourner Truth

I find there's something really inspiring and strangely comforting about the fact that the moon that I can see is the same moon that you can see, wherever in the world you are. 

Full moon

As I said the other day, I had taken my camera along to the last meeting of my camera club, hoping to snap some cherry blossom. There was no blossom there but, as we left to go home, there was a rather lovely full moon. Unless you have the right lens, a tripod and other paraphernalia, moon shots are really pretty hopeless but I thought I'd give it a go nevertheless. This was taken with my new little camera, handheld. I liked the spookiness of the moon 'caught' in the tree branches, and the ghostly church tower on the left. Technical prowess = zero, atmospherics = a few points higher than zero! 

'And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.'  Genesis 1:14

Tangled moon

'The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself.' 

Tahereh Mafi 

Sunday meditation: Coming home

It has turned a lot colder. When the moon comes out it is rather prettily ringed with a misty, frosty corona. The chimney of Salts Mill, near-silhouetted against the darkening sky, tells me that I'm almost home, where a warm and welcome cuppa awaits. I love coming home.

'I've had a splendid time.... But the best of it all was the coming home.' L M Montgomery

'You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.' Deuteronomy 28

'The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep you safe. He will protect you as you come and go, now and forever.' Psalm 121:8

'Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.' 1 Samuel 25:6

Pink moon

On the evening of the Sundowner event in Roberts Park, the sunset was muted - but in the other direction, the huge, low, full Pink or Paschal Moon of April was spectacular, albeit a little hazy. (Not that I'm much good at taking moon photos, but I had to give it a go.)

Around St Oswald's House

Yorkshire holiday 15

After hot days spent exploring the busy towns and villages of the north east Yorkshire coast,  it was lovely to relax in the beautiful, balmy, summer evenings at my guesthouse. I really enjoyed the cooler evening air and the golden light around the gardens. Here are a few of my favourite images from there. 

And the best image I could manage with my 135mm lens of the July 'Buck Moon', not quite full on the night I took this: