Somewhere between nautical and citizens' twilight

is my favorite time of day. The sky differentiates itself from the trees, a color between grey and navy blue. No fog this morning. Might be fog in the valleys, a river of cloud below. Quiet, but windows are closed, the spring persists, cool and wet. My oak trees broke bud yesterday. Hickory is still thinking about it.

New tropical arrivals daily. My hummingbirds have returned, action at the feeder, which is good, because there's not too much blooming out there. Blame the deer. I have a piebald doe in the resident herd. Too early for fawns, roadkill squirrels, they mourn their dead you know? Few skunks so far. New puppy here. Very intrepid Cairn terrier. Loves mud. And greeting with teeth.

Cleaning house of winter. Son flies in on Friday, new female attraction coming in as well. Awaiting towel delivery. Carpets being cleaned. Water down and back up, amazing what microdirt appears from carpet fiber. Made in the USA, Dalton, Georgia. Delivered as a roll, by truck, somehow we horsed it up horseless to the house for install. Blue-green, 30 years ago. Gallons of pee later, still blue-green. Made in the USA.

Sky is further resolving to blue-grey.

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I like the time an hour before nautical twilight begins and if you're lucky and have an unrestricted view of the eastern horizon, you might see the zodiacal light. I find that my eyes have to be fully attuned to the dark because the light is vague and diffuse but very beautiful.

Also, at the moment of sunrise, you may be really lucky and see the green flash.

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Bisbonian's picture

above our headboard, and tell us, emphatically, that they want to go outside and kill a bird. Until we get up in frustration, and miss the light. And feed them dry food instead.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Haikukitty's picture

We had to move it away from any windows - because of exactly what you describe.

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Bisbonian's picture

Our bed will be across the room, looking out the window. And the cats have a cat door, out to a large cat enclosure, separating them from the mountain lions, hawks, and little birds. Smile Soon.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

riverlover's picture

the western wall. I get moon visitations, either welcoming or annoying. My bedside clock requires a push button to illuminate.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Haikukitty's picture

I didn't know that was a real thing. My grandfather always used to talk about the Emerald Flash. For awhile, we lived in Hawaii and when we moved there, we spent about 2 months in a waterfront hotel waiting for a house. So you could see the sunrise over the ocean's horizon. My grandparents came to visit, and he was constantly talking about getting up to see the "Emerald Flash." It became a kind of catch phrase with us kids.

I had no idea it was really a thing.

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Light from the sun just below the horizon is refracted by the atmosphere and sometimes all the colors are subdued except for a bright yellowish-green. I've seen it spread from north to south in a millisecond.

There's no mistaking it because it's an "Oh Wow" moment - you know you've seen something.

It's more common in the evening than in the morning but when the atmosphere is stagnant, light is bent more readily.
I used to live on the eastern continental divide and there was a spot at 3200 feet that overlooked piedmont NC at 900 feet with an unrestricted view of the eastern sky. I saw many unusual things at sunrise, including the green flash.

When I lived in Colorado at 7200 feet, it was a short drive up to 8500 feet where there was an open view to the west. I saw the green flash several times at sunset - it's the moment the upper limb of the sun goes below the horizon - it's either there or it isn't.

Cheap non-polluting entertainment : )

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"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Gerrit's picture

thoughts. They show the things you care about and they are good things to care about. Have a great day and enjoy the family visit preparations.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.