Homestead Journal at Fat Turkey Farm

Shooting Stars, Singing Crickets, and Lunar Eclipses

Last night was pretty hot here in the house.  Too hot to sleep.  So about 10pm I wandered outside to sit on the deck in the much cooler air.  It was so quiet outside, just the sound of the crickets singing and other night bugs making their rounds.  I sat watching the stars and clouds overhead.  I was hoping to see a shooting star, but alas, none went over me.

As I was sitting there, I recalled another night when I sat outside watching the sky.  It was in the fall, many years ago, I was up visiting my grandparents in Vermont.  It was a crisp fall night, temps in the 50's, breeze making the leaves rattle on the trees.  The air smelled so good, so clean and earthy, you would think you were in Heaven.

There was to be a lunar eclipse that night, and since I had never seen one, I didn't want to miss this one.  So I woke up my Grandma Peg at about 2am, and she came out and sat with me, watching the eclipse.  We sat, wrapped up in my Papa Ed's big coats, which smelled like wood smoke and pipe tobacco, with our feet up on the porch railing.  We talked about cooking,work, knitting, animals, her childhood, as we watched the moon slowly turn to black.  We sat out there for the entire eclipse and when it was over, fell back into our beds to sleep for the rest of the night.  I recall that we were both late for breakfast the next morning, much to the chagrin of my Papa Ed who always fed me great breakfasts!

Gotta Run!  Bye Bye!

What a Sight

{ 07:24, August 7, 2006 } { Posted by maa }

I would love to see a eclipse.That must of been a beautiful sight.
God Bless,
Belle - homesteadgirls

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{ 07:11, August 8, 2006 } { Posted by riverrim }

Such nice memories! I remember sitting on my grandmothers porch swing and watching the thunderstorms roll in. She lived on top of a hill, and you could see the sky for what seemed like miles. I remember being both scared, and secure because I was sitting and rocking close to my grandma. I wonder if our grandma's knew they were making memories for us? I wonder if we know when we are making memories for someone else?

What a wonerful memory!

{ 02:22, August 8, 2006 } { Posted by Nonni }

Before we moved into the country - we used to pack the kids up and go to my Mom's for leonoid showers and such. Since we've been IN the country - it's ALWAYS cloudy when any such events happen. One year - it was clear, we went in played games, ate supper, played more games waiting for it to be "time" for the shower - it was cloudy!! So they ran around under the night sky watching the flashes through the clouds. When it was time to go in, my youngest announced "This was the best night of my life!" So, we still go out there - no matter what ;-)

I do this too!

{ 08:08, August 8, 2006 } { Posted by Phillyfarmgirl }

Sometimes when I cannot sleep I also sit on my front porch. You cannot see a whole lot here in Philly, although we did watch a lunar eclipse once. When I lived out in the country we saw everything! Shooting stars and Haley's comet when it was around. I saw in the almanak there are shooting stars due to be seen in October. I hope I will be able to see them.

great story!

{ 08:36, August 11, 2006 } { Posted by VTLinda }

I really enjoyed this - brought back memories of my childhood - and adulthood. My mom and I try to catch the Perseid meteor showers every year - August 11th. Her birthday - today. We've had some pretty interesting trips doing that! :D Oh, and thanks for visiting my blog. The feet are coming along. <G> Cheers! ~Linda in Virginia