P365 - Day 344 - lunar eclipse (10/12/2011)

After our visit to our friends’ place in the Huon, we made good on our plan to go tenting* in their back yard.

It was a great idea, because it meant we didn’t have to rush home in time for dinner, so we could catch up properly, have a few drinks and enjoy the great outdoors.

Juniordwarf was very excited because, after our recent camping adventure we decided that a “three man tent” is just a little bit cosy to actually house three people, so we bought him his own little tent. This was the first time he was going to use it, and he was really looking forward to sleeping in his own tent, with his teddies Billy and Jenny.

There was a total lunar eclipse due. 

We thought it would be great to sit around the fire and watch it. Unfortunately the sky was covered by clouds, so we didn’t see a thing. We saw some light behind the trees as the moon was rising, but that was it.

This is our view for most of the night

This is what we might have seen if the weather had cooperated.

At about the time we were supposed to be able to start seeing the eclipse, it started to pour with rain, which put an end to the sitting around the fire part of the night as well.

It was kind of nice to go to bed with rain pouring down on the tent. Similar to rain on the roof, but a lot closer.

*Tenting = sleeping in a tent without actually camping.

P365 - Day 311 - I can see the moon

I love the fact it's still light when I get home from work.

Yay for spring! Yay for daylight savings!

P365 - Day 284 - moonwatch

Juniordwarf has recently become rather obsessed with the album Tubular Bells III by Mike Oldfield. 

It all started when he was watching a movie I’d made of our holiday to the mainland to visit relatives and friends when he was seven months old. One of the tracks I used on the soundtrack was a track called The Top of the Morning from that album.

He loved it, and when he found out he could listen to it on my computer and my phone, he was delighted, and insisted on me playing it for him at every opportunity.

The scene from the movie where the track is played is one where I’m holding him, rocking on Aunty Purple Bee’s rocker. Lil Sis is filming, and she says ‘Mummy and Juniordwarf on Aunty Purple Bee’s Rocker, filmed by Aunty Lil Sis’.

So when we were visiting Aunty Purple Bee last month, Juniordwarf and I sat on the rocker and played the song on the phone, and to complete the re-enactment, had Slabs film us. Juniordwarf said, ‘Mummy and Juniordwarf on Aunty Purple Bee’s Rocker, filmed by Dad.’

So I'm expecting that he’s going to want that scene – together with the track – on the movie of this year’s holiday. If I ever get around to doing it.

We also have a DVD of the concert of the premiere live performance of Tubular Bells III, which Juniordwarf also loves. I’d never considered Mike Oldfield’s music to be dance music, but as soon as The Top of the Morning comes on, he’s off the couch, jumping up and down and running around the room. (I think that’s his version on dancing.)

The next track on the album, which runs on from The Top of the Morning, is called Moonwatch. Juniordwarf likes that track too, though it doesn’t have the same appeal as his favourite track.

Tonight at bed time, he kissed me and instead of saying ‘goodnight’, he said, ‘Moonwatch Mum’.

When I went outside to get the washing in, there was a beautiful almost-full moon coming up over the hill. I tried to take a photo of it with my phone, but there are limitations on what the phone camera can do in low light and at long distances. A bit later I tried again with the moon coming out from behind the clouds, but that was no better.

Never mind. It was a beautiful moon.

Moonwatch everyone.

P365 - Day 135 i don't want to go outside

Here are my photos for this week's Sunday Selections over at Frogpondsrock.

This afternoon at about half past three, Juniordwarf suddenly decided he wanted to go outside.

We’d been inside all day, even though, as days nearing winter go, today wasn’t too bad. Still, I was quite cosy inside and didn’t really want to go out with him. (The way our house is set up, it’s impossible to keep an eye on him from inside.) I had stuff I wanted to be doing (or rather, needed to be doing – I didn’t feel particularly inclined to actually do it) and I groaned inwardly when he said he wanted to go outside.

But I don’t want to discourage him from being outside, and I know I should also be setting more of an example by spending time outside too, so I took a deep breath and followed him out.

We did some stuff together and then he did his own thing for a while. I decided if I had to be out there, I might as well make use of the time and find things in the almost dead garden to take photos of, as there might not be many more opportunities.

There was also a pretty moonrise just before sunset, so that was a good subject too – lots of interesting clouds in the sky. And then sunset itself (where I looked out the window, saw the light and raced outside to take some more photos).

All of these are taken on my phone, with the exception of the two sunset pictures, and all are edited with my go-to app, Camera+.

Moon rising in the clouds

Pansy from Juniordwarf's garden

One of our last roses

Juniordwarf's petunia that he potted up at
play group last year

Grape vine. I was hoping to find an angle that
made it look like I was in a vineyard, but who
am I kidding?!

Sunset 1 - my standard sunset view over the hill

Sunset 2 - behind the sunset

P365 - Day 80 supermoon

So, Saturday night was full moon, and it was the so-called supermoon. Apparently the full moon was the closest it has been to earth since 1993, so it was supposed to appear bigger than normal.

Well, we had an overcast night didn't we, so moon viewing was far from optimal.

Here are a couple of photos that I did manage to get on Saturday night.

Looking for the moon

There it is!

I really didn't notice any difference between this full moon and any other one, so it wasn't a real disappointment to have missed it. In fact, last Friday night I thought the moon looked much more interesting, as I saw it hovering over the river, very low in the sky, bright yellow, on my way home from scrapbooking. I really wished I'd had my camera with me that night.

So what has this got to do with today? Well this morning I was looking out the window and saw the moon, just past full, on its way to setting.

You don't get very good moon photos on a phone camera, but here's what it looked like this morning

And here's a couple of Instagram versions:

P365 - Day 38 spot the moon

I love watching the moon, and seeing it during its first few waxing days, when it's just beginning to show as a thin sliver in the sky, always makes me happy.

Yes, the moon really is in the picture . . .

It's a time to make a fresh start and begin new things. I can't really explain, but there's a certain energy about it that's really positive and that I really like.

Now to figure out how to use that energy to get myself moving and stay motivated!