Baby The Stars Shine Bright

I'm getting ready for bed, so this will probably wait until morning... but I wanted to post a little something about my weekend.

J in Baltimore pointed out to me that "ski weekend" and "starving artist" are... well... a little incongruous.  I would point out that I did say "exiled princess" too, but anyway, he has a point.

And the point is I don't really ski.  So the "ski trip" amounted to a Saturday car ride up to Vermont - which we took the long, circuitous route through New Hampshire to do - followed by... a nap.  Then we went out in the charming little town of Chester and got a late lunch and then... we hung out with our group until everyone wanted to go out for a big group dinner at a so-so steakhouse a couple of towns away.

As we left the restaurant and drove away, I looked out the window... and gasped.  The star field in Vermont, away from city lights, was just astonising.  Then Ray looked, and he gasped as well (and then we made him concentrate on driving).  He pointed out Orion and then he told this sweet story about he once took a picture of the Orion constellation through a telescope, holding the lens open for an extended exposure... and was rewarded with a great shot of the Orion nebula, which is hard to see in the city. And he was sad because he's lost the photo.

(Then I told the story about how J and I went to the beach a few years ago as a birthday celebration in March, and the first day it was so sunny and gorgeous that we had some time on the beach, and I got this great picture of J that we both love.. and I've lost the negative and the color version I have is damaged.  J, however, has a great B/W version as well.)

Anyway, when we got back to the house where we were staying, I made Ray walk with me out behind the property to a dark field where we could get a more complete view (of the stars, miss naughty mind), and it was just amazing.  The night was so crisp and clear and you could see tons and tons of stars, things you never see when you live in the big ol' city.  And for a moment - absent the bitter bitter cold - living in Vermont had some nice side benefits.  Ray pointed out Orion, and his belt, and then noticed his sword, which isn't usually as visible... and then he pointed out a planet (we think it may be Saturn) that's currently visible.

My good friend Dr. T is also something of an astronomer, and he taught me to appreciate every chance I had to look at the stars (including a chance to see Saturn through a telescope in New Orleans, and a magical look at the stars in Tucson, Arizona).  I still do; the real stars shine so bright.  Ray feels that Orion is his buddy, watching out for him in the rough spots.  We should all have such lucky stars.

Comments

[tom]

So Dr T has once again encouraged WeBoy to look heavenward. Now if I could only seem to get you to understand the phases of the moon. You MUST escape those cities, dear boy.