Lunar And Solar Event.

As I write this post, I am sitting at my windows watching the progress of a total Lunar Eclipse in the northwest heavens. The sky is pristine, the colour of blue velvet and the silver globe is partially obstructed by Earth's shadow, as it floats so effortlessly above the snow covered trees...

A plethora of emotions encompasses my whole being watching this Lunar Event - awe, enchantment, marvel and utter fascination.

However also a slight sting of sadness, a mild irritation about not having a better camera. I long so desperately to be able to immortalize this celestial event with my lens, preserving it forever. I guess though that this moment was meant to be mine only. The vision of the moon, slowly turning red, until it is completely obscured in the morning sky was meant to be captured by my eyes only and preserved as a snapshot solely in my recollection.

How extraordinary it is though, that a total eclipse of the moon takes place during the dawn of the Winter Solstice, when a winter day envelops us in a final twilight, while the longest night falls upon my surroundings.
This Solar Event means that from now on, the sun will commence its journey back, prolonging the fragile daylight of the North.

It begins ever so slowly, with only a few minutes more light by each day, but in a month - an hour will be added to our days.

As much as I love June and the longest day of the Summer Solstice, when our days comprise almost eleven hours more as compared to today, Winter Solstice holds an entirely different allure.
It indicates that soon, we have reached midwinter. This signals the imminence and in its turn the onset of the best time of the year; as we cross the threshold back to light, the countdown to Summer, my favorite season - yet again begins...

(Below a set of comparison images of my northwest views in winter and in summer - and stages of the Lunar Eclipse taking place in the same cardinal direction - please click images for a larger, better view)