Strawberry Moon

Last night there was a full moon on the summer solstice, an event that has not happened since 1967, and will not happen again till 2062.  This rare event is called a Strawberry Moon, and my daddy and I went out into the backyard last night with his camera to see it.

My father placed his water mark on the bottom of the moon.

It was well past midnight and I was tired, but seeing as this is such a rare occurrence, I wasn't about to stay in bed and miss it.  So I put my damp jeans and shoes on ( I had been running through the sprinklers just hours before, you see ), which made me a bit chilly in the otherwise nice night temperatures, and went out with him wrapped in my favorite denim jacket.

It was so bright out.  I really couldn't believe it.  I know that it was a full moon and all, but standing in the direct moon light, I could read the notes I had written on my hand to remind myself of things I have to do today.  It was almost entirely quiet, with the air conditioner coming on every now and then, and the sound of other people's sprinklers spraying.  Aside from that, it was just still, bright, and the sound of my daddy's camera clicking.

I loved to be out in my backyard wandering around in the dark.  My memory of the place is was kept me from tripping.  It might have been bright in the light of the Strawberry Moon, but in the shadows, it was pure blackness, a striking contrast that I was not expecting to see.  I was standing not ten feet away from my daddy at one point in the shadows, and he couldn't see me until I called to him.  It was really quite amazing.

I looked at our garden, at the plants sitting still in the moon light, I peeked through gates at the dark street outside and saw how the world around me was suspended in slumber and the cool night air, most likely entirely unaware of the rare, potentially once in a life time lunar event that was happening right above their resting heads.

I sat on the damp paving stones and watched the moon hang in the sky.  We, my daddy and I, didn't talk. There was no need to.  We both love nature so much, and that's all we had come out for.  Something about being outside refills our souls, and it was nice just sit out there with him and enjoy the site.

When a long strip of clouds came across the sky and got in the way of the moon, we went back in.  My mother, tired and resting in bed, was counting on us to get pictures and tell her about it all in the morning.  My sister, who I woke from her sleep, decided that she was too warm and comfy in her bed to move from it, and went back sleep.  So we show them pictures now, just as I show you.

Were you aware of this Strawberry Moon?  I, for one, had never heard of it before in my life.  If not for my daddy waking me up, I would have missed the whole thing and never been any the wiser.  I hope at least some of you knew better than I did, and that you were able to get outside, if only for a minuet, to see it with your very own eyes.

If, on the other hand, you were more like me and did not have someone to wake you, then I hope you enjoy one of the many pictures my daddy took ( and so kindly let me use ) as a second alternative to seeing the Strawberry Moon.

Em

P.S.  If you like his photo, then you should go look at his photography website ( this is the dream I mentioned him working toward in my last post ).  As of this very moment, he is still building it, but he's very, very close to launching it, so keep an eye on it in the near future!