“Do you ever walk through the village at night?” C’s question surprised me, I had to think. “No, no, I don’t really…” “Oh, it’s wonderful,” she responded with that soft Southern accent belying her to be “the Other American” (in truth, she is L’Americaine and I am the other but no matter) here. “I do it all the time, it is so quiet.”
She went on to tell me of how she loves to take visiting English immersion exchange students on evening strolls, including a young girl from Monaco who delighted in the ability to do cartwheels through the empty streets…such freedom to be seen unseen.
C and I had been chatting about the upcoming arrival of the Supermoon, the Blood Moon, so rare.
She imparted that she had been charting its progress this month along with her two children, who were coloring its stages nightly for class and told me the best place to see it at the top of the village. I wondered why I had never had such cool and engaging projects in the Midwestern schools I attended as a kid.
Just after 7:30pm, the time that Mr. Moon was supposed to be on the up and up, I was sipping a glass of wine and listening to Miles Davis. I was feeling mighty comfy in that Sunday evening cook a chicken way. But the image of that whirling girl enticed me enough to walk up the two flights to grab my camera and attach its 300 mm lens. All right then, go see, go see…
I climbed the hill and breathed out a “Oh there you are” at the glowing bone ball. I was standing on what had been the cemetery, long ago. The description seemed appropriate and yet C had been right, I felt no fear. Only that quiet that she had mentioned, sinking in, calming my breath and steadying my often shaky hands as I lifted the heavy apparatus time and time again. I shifted the manual settings with squinting eyes as the dark settled in. “If only Remi were here,” I thought nearly automatically, “he would know what to do.” How many times I have literally seen him run to be in the right place at the right time to catch the light, such a precise hunter. Well, instead, I just ambled after the moon – I played, I was a little artsy, at other moments I felt like a grand reporteur on a mission, I leaned into the fuzz of the sunset – and all the while the moon just rose and rose, shifting shades and cutting clouds. I stayed until I was content and paused before swinging the camera over my shoulder and trotting down the hill to whisper “thank you” – to C, to the daring girl, and to the beauty of la lune. Such a mystery still and how I love it that way.
to listen to:
Have a wonderful beginning to your week everyone…
Thank you Sandy – any compliments from an amazing artist such as yourself about the visuals here are supremely appreciated!!
Love the autumn mood you captured. Perfect for getting ready for Halloween.Beautiful shots.
Sandra Sallin apartfrommyart.com
Isn't it amazing? That we live in such enchanted places? A tower dating from 900!! It is just fantastic (literally) to these American eyes…although one can't be afraid of ghosts in these old homes…so many births and deaths…so much life has passed through them…
From chezbon via email:
"That moonshot gave me goosebumps! I missed seeing this actually happen. My village also, up here by the tower where I live, is deserted at night once the tourists have gone home after August. This is a very old village, our tower dates to 900, and it is strange to walk through the streets and think about all of the people who walked here before."
And thank you for being you, beautiful Sister of mine!
Romantic and pragmatic…that is you, dear DA. 🙂
Lorrie, what a gorgeous description of your nightly strolls. I can just see it. It takes some courage, non? I woke up the other night, it was who knows what hour and for the first time in many years I felt a tiny bit afraid of the dark. "It is just the dark and I am safe within it" I had to keep repeating. It took me a while to get back to sleep even still…
Merci, Karena…bisous and enjoy…
That must have been…and I apologize for this will make you cringe…a bit magical. And all the better for the surprise of it. I remember getting up in the night years ago to catch a train to catch a plane to go to Kenya and we saw such a moon, we took it as a good omen.
And please oh please, just let me say that this: "though I like to think of Ohio as New England's trashy cousin instead of Nebraska's distant sister" is just brilliant and spot-on!!! I completely agree…
Yes, yes, yes!!!
I loved these dark moody photos of the super moon! We really feel like we were there with you, on that hill – we feel the quiet of the village! I have to say, it was so nice to just be outside, staring up at the moon – here in Ann Arbor it was a beautiful sight – all red and eclipse-y! Look how you're inspiring us all to go outside at night – thank you yet again for your beautiful words and images!
Just dreamy… There is something magical about an autumn moon. (And don't we all look grand by moonlight, besides.) xo
After dinner Tim and I often take an evening walk. As autumn draws the nights in, we walk in the dark. Streetlights illumine part of the way, but our path takes us through a narrow dark wood, up over a small hill where we stop to light-gaze at the city below, and once again through a dark trail homewards. I love the sense of intimacy about walking in the dark, and anonymity, too.
Your photos are lovely. I can imagine you on that hilltop, surrounded by the peace of the cemetery as you moon-watch and awe.
Heather you have inspired me to get out for an evening walk, when it the temps have cooled down and I can be in peace and have a quiet mind. Beautiful images!!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Oh what a fabulous story. I can't believe the village is so quiet at night! You got a much, much better view than we had here. Boring schools and cloudy skies here in the "Midwest" though I like to think of Ohio as New England's trashy cousin instead of Nebraska's distant sister.
But luckily yesterday morning I woke up early and headed out to get my coffee in the dark. I was looking for the moon but still couldn't see it. Then heading home, I saw it low and massive. Framed by trees in the middle of the road at the crest of a hill. It was so glorious it took my breath away. A very acceptable apology for being a no-show the night before.
Isn't it wonderful that we all – worldwide across the blogosphere — can still be fascinated by the moon?
Oh Goodness. Our world. Did you happen to read the article in the NY Times: Stop Googling, Let's Talk. Amazing!!!
Even though it looks pretty orangey in the photos it was more of a gold and it faded pretty quickly to a big old normal looking full moon!
Oh, I hear ya! There are still a few very old graves on the hill that I was on too! eeee…
And I had no idea what I was doing – ok, a little but not enough. Remi would have scoffed as I didn't even have a tripod, Me! Madame Shakyhands! But I finally figured out that the aperture had to be far more closed than I am used to. I no longer have automatic settings since my sweet little Canon died (luckily Remi is loaning me one of his SLRs) but aren't they great? So happy that you found it out!
Loree, you are such a good writer…"I especially love it in summer when it casts its cool light onto the hot land." Come on that is just gorgeous…
I was glad that I went, Edgar. More for the peace than the photos.
Kind of Blue is the "when in doubt" album at our house and always will be. 🙂
Thank you so much for your happy response. I just loved it. And you are right, I should go out to take photos after hours here…I tried that once a long time ago and it is SO quiet here that the click of my camera brought someone out of their house, afraid I was a burgular!
I love that idea too Judith. It brings us all closer together.
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I was in Boston watching from the third story of a brownstone, marveling at what was going on in the sky, while across from me in what once must have been in an artist's atelier with huge arched windows under the eves — I spied a TV as big as a Jumbotron flashing with something that wasn't a live stream of the eclipse… Aren't people funny??? Love your photos!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I DIDNOT SEE THE ORANGY/RED HERE!!!
Lovely post!
During last night's super Moon full eclipse, I also thought of Remi, and You! I had such a time finding a setting on my camera that takes pictures, I felt embarrassed by unknowing. On one of the many stepping back indoors to see the camera under the dim stove light, I thought…you two would know right away what to do. I was nearly in tears until I slowed down my frazzles, and remembered to slide the button over for night. It is a favorite time of day, but with a cemetery close, and I sitting out there alone, I had to keep turning to make sure I was alone. 🙂
I love the moon too. I especially love it in summer when it casts its cool light onto the hot land. Thanks for sharing this special moment.
“ I leaned into the fuzzy the sunset- and all the while the moon just rose and rose, shifting shades and cutting clouds. I stayed until I was content.”
I’m glad you stayed; your photos captured the moments of the night. Thank you Heather.
I didn’t drive to a nearby hill where few people went and shared their photos in their Facebook.
Miles Davis .. I should have guessed ! You, Remi, and I are definately going to meet one of these days !
Aloha,
Bill
http://www.kauai-to-paris.com
Oh, you captured that mystery beautifully with your words and photog! So glad you summoned the courage to venture out into the dark, camera in hand. Now that you know that peaceful "after hours" calm of your village streets, I can only imagine what other delights you will have to share with us here when you take to the streets again!
A delightful post to start my week! Unfortunately, in my corner of the world we had a rainy night and missed this lunar eclipse. Beautiful to see through your eyes! Hope yours continues to look up! xx
What a beautiful start to my Monday morning….. picking up and adding to the beautiful vision we saw last night from our back deck: total eclipse of a blood moon. And isn't it amazing that we stand on different continents looking at the same moon? That used to comfort me when my son was living abroad.