July Moonshots

Wednesday, July 21, 2021 — (On Friday, this year’s July moon [“Thunder”] will rise at its fullest.)

That’s the new, still distant, full “Thunder” Moon in yesterday’s late nighttime sky.

Wandering through the house and closing doors for the evening, I glimpsed through a high window the moon, full and nesting among thickly-clustered, restless, moving clouds. An amazing night sighting of a beautiful busy sky with sliding clouds often nearly hiding the moon.

I was unprepared to see such exciting moon and sky action. My dogs were bewildered by seeing me racing around and searching for a “right camera”, and then running outside to find a “right spot”, to do shutter-clicking at “right times”.

Those moments were teachable. I realized that what excited me was an ability to view the moon differently. For months, my pal Susie and I have chased the fullest orbs, watched them rise above completely dark horizons. I used to be happy standing beside my house on a hill and capturing a pretty full moon.

By now, however, many times I’ve mightily been inspired by witnessing first risings and glimpsing welcome light, new and moody, ever-changing, and lifting through clouds. Those sightings have reshaped my visual expectations.

Last night from my hill, the combo of sky and moon truly was a “view of ‘Thunder'”. Those real-time moments of interaction with July’s full and appropriately named moon were very exciting.

Dear Friends: Every experience brings new learning, it’s fun and satisfying to puzzle out prizes. Diana