Skip to main content

There's a Whole Galaxy Out There

I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice the two bright spots in the night sky the last few weeks.  To be honest, I had no idea what these were until I googled them!  Imagine my surprise when I found out I was looking right at the dazzling planets of Jupiter and Venus.  Upon further research, I discovered that these two planets won't shine this brightly again until 2032.  Aren't I lucky to have actually taken the time to look up?!

To be honest, I rarely look at the night's sky,  but when I do, I'm often left in awe.  As a former ancient world history teacher, I'm reminded of our ancestors who spent every evening studying, learning from and memorizing the night's sky.  After all, it was their only entertainment once the sun set.  We are far removed from those ancient times, but I do wish that that was something we (I) took the time to connect with.

Just like the rest of society, I find myself all too reliant on screens, so when I  notice the night's sky or the sunrise of a beautiful morning, or the budding daffodils on the roadside, I'm reminded how important it is to put everything else down and just absorb the environment around me.

About a week ago, my sister taught me how to use my phone to take a picture of the night's sky.  I'm not a talented photographer, so for me, this photo is gem, because it's a reminder to set everything else aside to take a look up and out.  There's a whole galaxy out there, and I don't want to miss a second of it.



Comments

  1. Red EmmaMarch 6, 2023 at 9:40 PM

    You are lucky to live where you can see the night sky without light pollution. I live in a city, so it's almost impossible for me to see what you can. And that sky is full of awe. I'm glad you're learning how to take night-time photos with your phone.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Students & Gardens: A Common Thread of Growth

Hello!  My name is Mrs. B and I'd like to welcome you to my very first blog post! I've had the pleasure of being a middle school teacher for more than 25 years now.  I've always had a passion for teaching and for helping students to grow and reach their full potential, but this post is related to how that passion transformed into a new life-long hobby. In the spring of 2020, when Covid had the world in its grip, I was stuck at home and teaching remotely.  I immediately realized that something was missing from my life.  That something was the constant hands-on interaction I had with my students.  I missed them something fierce.  I missed our conversations, I missed watching them grow and I missed helping them become the young adults they were destined to be. No matter how much time or effort I put into our online learning platform, it just couldn't replace the daily interactions I had with my students.  I found my heart aching for those same connections, and that is when
4 comments
Read more

Hope: It's Been There the Whole Time

I've always loved hummingbirds.  They start to appear in early spring and they quickly remind me of the lazy days of summer, when I sit on my porch with a cup of tea to watch them flitter about, often battling one another for a drink of nectar at one of my many feeders.   I'm never alone when I relax on my porch with the hummers.  Either my husband, or one of my teenage boys or a friendly neighbor,  joins me for the spell-bounding quiet of our little nature preserve.   The tiny feathered creatures buzz around us as we share the stories of our days, our pasts and our futures.  These moments of calm, in the middle of summer, under the shade of our maple and birch trees, are my favorite.  There is no rush to plan a lesson, grade a paper, answer a phone or check off another item on my to do list.  I can just sit, and observe and talk with those who matter the most. In September, shortly after school starts, the hummingbirds leave for the season.  It's always a sad goodbye for m
6 comments
Read more

Welcome Home

Finally home after a long day at school, I walked in through my front door and was greeted with an absolutely disturbing stench.  "Oh my gosh! What the expletive could that be?" I sniffed around the house, trying to find the source - nearly gagging the entire time.  What could it possibly be? I round the corner to my living room, and there sits my dog.  Looking guilty as ever. And next to her sits my unopened bottle of Repels All .  In case you don't know what Repels Al l is, it is used outdoors, after it is diluted, on garden plants, veggies, fruits, flowers, shrubs and trees.  The primary use of Repels All is a repellant or deterrant for basically any type of animal.  The label says it "repels squirrels, deer, rabbits, chipmunks, mice, skunks, rats, beavers, raccoons, porcupines, birds, groundhogs and even more pests!"  Notice, it does NOT say dogs.  And it most definitely did not deter my dog. I guess I should be thankful, because Repels All is an all natur
5 comments
Read more