Since moving to the country, I spend an inordinate amount of time craning my neck upward to look at the night skies. It makes my head spin sometimes to contemplate the stars, planets and even satellites scattered up in the heavens. I've even come to recognize a few; rusty coloured Sirius, bright Vega, Orion's tidy belt. In Waterloo, they were mere specks that blended together; at Someday, they're brilliant gems strewn across a black velvet sky.
We've had two weeks of clear, warm weather with cool nights - perfect for stargazing, and usually perfect for seeing the Northern Lights. Searching for Aurora Borealis is kind of a tradition with me; ever since I was a young kid coming to the cottage, it didn't feel like summer until I'd spotted the Northern Lights at least once. I remember lying on the cool sand with my cousins while the waves lapped at our feet, staring up as those mysterious lights wove their ghostly threads across the darkness.
And so I've peered up at the Someday sky, night after night, all summer long. All I've achieved is a severe crick in the neck and a bad case of impatience. If you'd been standing beside Jade and I last night, on the driveway, near the cornfield, you'd have heard the following:
"Ah haaa...look up there Jady. Do you see that? That's the Northern Lights! Yup! Look at it! Isn't it beautiful? It looks like a gauzy white curtain, doesn't it? Mmm hmm. Mummy loves the Northern Lights. Oh. Waitaminute. Hmmm...maybe those are just clouds. Are those just clouds? Dammit, they are. For pete's sake." (Calls to husband who is wearily heading into the house) "D, are those clouds or the Northern Lights?" (mumbled response from husband) "Crap! Are you sure? I could have sworn they were...oh, never mind. C'mon Jady. Let's go in. *sigh*"
Yeah, I know. Jade is way too little to even notice the Northern Lights, let alone stars. But I am bound and determined to see them this year, even if it means scouring the skies each and every night until it snows!
3 comments:
Hi Kim!
I grew up in Petersburg and there wasn't a lot of traffic way back then, (Think 45 years ago).
and I can remember the night skies and stars looking like the ones you described.
The first Northern Lights I ever didn't really see was about 34 years ago, up around Sudbury, while swimming with cousin's in a lake that was 15 miles or so back in a bush (they had a cottage there). Anyway, we were out in this lake at night after running out of the steam bath and jumping into the water when Uncle S. yelled at us to look up at the sky. Everyone else ooohed and aaahed while I stood there not seeing anything because I wasn't wearing my glasses. Actually it now that I think about it, they did look a lot like clouds...sort of....
Then maybe 10 or 12 years ago, my son showed up at our place after 10pm one evening in November and dragged me out to a side road close by where Jaime lives today. We stood in the freezing cold for over two hours watching the northern lights. Apparently it was some kind of freaky weather thing happening at a very late time in the year. Very unusual they said.
It was amazing. I would have stayed longer but I was sure I was getting frost bite and I did have to work the next day.
I sure hope I have the chance to watch a sky like that again sometime.
Stay safe and give Jade a cuddle for me please and thank you.
Lois
Being able to go out and see your very own Aurora Borealis sounds awesome, Kimber! xx
Love it! I do the same thing when I'm home. Did that a lot at yer place and at Dad's. My dream is to see the Nothern Lights in cosmic technicolour someday.
Nature is so amazing. :) I love that you're reminding yourself and Jade of that.
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