City lights and other man-made trappings look downright gaudy in the presence of a gigantic yellow moon. From the vantage point of wilderness, a night sky is an awesome, even sacred sight to see. From my front porch, a newly rising, fat, orange moon is a certain reminder of who's really in charge.~~~~~~~~~~~
Post-sleep consciousness whispered to me that today is one of those exciting, holiday-like Saturdays where excitement presses on the edges of time. Not only is all the housework done (yes, even the bathrooms sparkle!), but the first carpet of crunchy golden and red leaves now resides in the compost pile. A squishy November haircut tidied up the green lawn. The leftover Halloween candy is bagged up and frozen (where were all the kids this year?!). Dog clean. Laundry done. Bills paid, patio swept, and we 'got milk.'
All this realized before I knuckled the sleep from my eyes.
An important football game is being played down the road, at Autzen Stadium. We'll watch it on TV, me in my Angry-Eyes Duck Hat, my Quacking Duck Beak hanging from its lanyard around my neck. Decked in green and yellow - or red for the Arizona Sun Devils - bicycles, cars, SUV 's, RV's and pedestrians flow towards the stadium, flags and pompoms secured to rigs or hats or children's strollers. Eager faces painted in school-loyal colors. Tailgating crowds huddle next to ignited charcoal, blowing into fists, warming hands against the early morning fog, anticipation pulsing. Polish dogs, hamburgers, whiskey-sauced chicken, yes, but the Big Event which all these activities precede, that begins at three-forty-five with kick-off.
By this evening fans will be tuckered out, half euphoric, half droopy. Which will I be?Time will tell...
But I'm getting ahead of myself. With no usual Saturday chores to complete, I am free to make a huge pot of chili and a 9x13 of cornbread. Leisurely the girls watch Saturday morning TV shows, no foot-tapping parents hovering with The List. Choices. So many choices. I shall walk the dog. I shall drive past the stadium and cheer on the tailgaters. I shall buzz over to Winco and pick up a few 6-packs of Henry's root beer to go with the chili and cornbread. I will take that bubbly spa that has been calling me ever since I shoveled wet dirt a week ago. I will open my Kierkegaard book and lose myself.
And I will get off this computer and not return today.
14 comments:
Heckuva good plan:)
One of the things I've come to really appreciate about living in Rossland is that there aren't many streetlights. It's DARK. I can see the stars, and the moon, unobstructed by light pollution. I think it's helped me feel a little more in tune with nature and its cycles.
Happy Saturday!
Cherie,
Have a good one. Hope it feels and restores like a holiday should.
x
I love the photographs. I love the serenity. I love the plans (chili, root beer, spa, Kierkegaard), and I love the lack of plans.
Mike, it did turn out very well. Heckuva good time!
WC, I was raised in a little town like Rossland, where the sky was big and close and brightly lit with stars, planets, and the beautiful moon. It does tend to keep one centered and in tune to have these things in clear view - and it makes one out of tune to have them overpowered by the artificial. I envy you. Hope your Saturday was pleasant and restful, too!
Liz, thank you, friend. It was really quite an unusually restful day. Hope your weekend is going well, too.
Ann. Thanks! Lack of plans - a good thing. I knew you'd understand.
P.S. The Ducks won in a very well-played (by both teams) game - just in case anyone cares. ; )
I'm jealous! ;)
I wish you were here!!!!
Yay, Ducks, but more importantly, Yay, Cherie! Good shot of the huge moon we saw this past week. (I'm guessing you longed for the better camera, but you did fine with your little one!) Was the chili good? Did you get your spa?
Me too; we'd have a BALL! ;)
It was a treat for us to be here and see/feel/experience this Duck-mania firsthand. Go Ducks!
But the bigger treat, of course, was seeing you, Dear Friend!
:-D
(Tell Captain F hello for us again!)
Deanna, actually I'm pretty happy with this photo of the moon. ; ) Tom gave the chili two-thumbs up, while licking his lips. "Delicious." The spa has yet to happen. I invited my parents up for the weekend on the spur of the moment, and they came up on Sunday. It was great having them here, even better than a spa. (But the spa is still the next thing on my list. ; )
Tshs - oh, man, we would make history in the category of FUN!!
Pam, Treat is right! I came home absolutely refreshed after our wild Tea Time. I love your mom!! And you know I adore you! Thank you so much!! Captain F has been duly greeted.
I smiled for you and your Saturday. I love days like that. Glad you enjoyed it.
From the vantage point of wilderness ....... makes me feel at home.
Very nicely written.
Thanks, Marianne!
Sean, thanks to you, too! Glad the words made you feel at home.
Post a Comment