Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Silvery Moon

The sky always intrigues me. I like to watch the clouds and wonder what it would be like to among them all day. I have noticed that the sky really is different in different areas. In Montana it is without question "Big Sky." There the mountains, plains and vastness of country combine for the feeling of never ending sky with activity in every corner. In southeastern Idaho, where I grew up, the daytime sky is often hazy in the summer because of the wind and dust from the area. It is after all a high mountain dessert. On peaceful days the sky is clear and the large cumulus clouds literally dance above. At night the stars seem so close that you can almost touch them. Here, on the Atlantic coast, away from the mountains the sky seems closer. It is probably because the vistas are few. The daytime color runs from the deepest of grays to the most incredible blue. If you are familiar with the North Carolina Tar Heels, then you know what "Carolina Blue" is. That is the blue of the sky here on the clearest days.

Then we have the evening skies. Since moving here I have only seen a couple of moons later at night. (Of course, that could be that I go to bed earlier than I used to.). What I have seen several times is a moonrise closer to sunset. I love seeing this and as dusk closes in the moon goes from white to silver color.

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