Winter Solstice

Last night we saw an unusual total eclipse of the moon, high overhead at the Winter Solstice. The earth's shadow swept over the bright full moon. We were lucky to have clear skies with only thin, wispy clouds blowing by, so we got a good view.

We seldom actually get to see the dark night sky, but when the moon was obscured, suddenly a host of stars twinkled brightly nearby. For eons, people slept under such skies and wondered at the vast display above. It was awesome to consider the early astronomers who took the theoretical leap to realize what was happening during lunar eclipses.

I snapped some photos, but of course they don't do justice to the reality of the sight of the moon turning salmon orange.

Here's a great time lapse video. You can see the whole event in two minutes:


Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

The solstice has traditionally been a harbinger of hope, with days growing longer and sunlight returning to the cold, dark land. Sadly, for our family, it is also a reminder of loss. My brother Bob died December 21, 2005, so this is the fifth anniversary of his passing, but he stays alive in the memories of the ones he left behind so suddenly, a reminder of the fragility and brevity of life even as the solstice reminds us of the ever-renewing cycle of the seasons.

We went to Randy's C-1 workshop this afternoon. He puts us in challenging positions, but always explains and teaches, so we learn a lot. Our friends make sure that we have fun at it too, since we're all in the same boat together, sink or swim.

This evening we gathered up some of our games and went over to the game night at the clubhouse. We were hoping that Ernie and Karen would be there. They had posted a notice on the board looking for gamers, and I stopped by to talk with them last Thursday. They weren't there, so we went to their site to see if they were home. It was almost a shame to interrupt them, since when we arrived we could see that both of them were sitting in their recliners. We all went back over to the clubhouse and we taught them how to play Rummikub. By some fluke, I won three of the four rounds we played. Ernie won the other round, attributing it to beginner's luck. They are from Ontario, Canada, and actually very quick learners.