The Greatest Show on Earth

Our journey home from Newcastle was trying to say the least. The six and a half hour drive stretched to ten as my poor husband negotiated road closure after road closure; jam after jam. By the time we reached home, it was 2.30 am and we were both exhausted.

That said, I am glad we went. My brother-in-law’s funeral was beautiful and the reception a wonderful opportunity to meet and console those we love. And the drive brought its own blessings.

Look to the skies

With little else to do, I spent most of the journey looking at the sky and it put on the most incredible display. Leaving Newcastle, it was Mediterranean blue with fluffy ivory clouds sculling across. It certainly provided a more pleasurable view than the car in front’s number plate.

Such skies have a hypnotic quality and I’ll happily watch clouds form and reform for hours in a sort of meditative trance. They certainly help pass the time.

Symbols of hope

As we moved further south, sudden showers burst forth. The once clear blue was now splotched with deep purple grey patches and I thought it was the perfect combination for rainbows.

And I was right. A huge rainbow appeared to our left and then was soon accompanied by another, less defined one, arching over the first in parallel. I nudged Jeff to look (we weren’t going too fast!) and we both enjoyed the spectacle. Then I realised that the second rainbow’s colours were a mirror image of the first. This being only the second double rainbow that I’ve seen, I was fascinated. How was this possible? Was this normal?

Once home, I looked it up without success and asked those I knew. My sister, a master at Google, found the answer. It is normal, but no less miraculous for that. Here’s the science. https://youtu.be/nzgNM-P_JCQ?si=zlyDhlgicUpF5EC9 Don’t worry, the clip is only one minute long and entirely comprehensible to the least scientific among us.

And here’s the rainbow we saw in Maine:

If you look closely, you’ll see that the darker colours are on the interior of the bands and the lighter colours on the exterior.

One to tick off on the bucket list

You would think that a double rainbow would be enough excitement for one day, but nature had yet another unusual occurrence for us to enjoy. As it grew dark, we noticed an eerie green mist-like light hovering above the horizon. How strange we mused – there are no cities causing reflected light and that green is most peculiar. I chuckled to myself that it was what the Northern Lights look like to the naked eye and dismissed it as improbable. Only when I returned home and read Mariia’s message to say look out for the Northern Lights, did I appreciate what I’d seen.

Our Aurora was not the dancing light show, but the more common green haze. I’m not fussy – it was still amazing and has saved me a trip to Iceland!

And there’s more …

Whilst the sky had entertained us throughout our tedious journey, it had more to offer when we got home. The Harvest Moon (a super moon) was due just days and I was determined to enjoy it in its full glory.

We set off to the beach to watch as it rose from the sea and were given a glorious sunset as an appetiser. While we stood transfixed, Hermione paid no attention – she just played with her ball.

It was a warm evening and listening to the waves and watching the moon appear from a faint glow to a great ball of white gold was spectacular.

The harvest moon is so called because it allowed farmers to work late into the night to bring in their crops. It was also favoured by smugglers and ‘moon rakers’ in Wiltshire! As its rising follows the sunset at the right angle, it is often golden or even red before it moves higher in the sky.

There was also a partial eclipse in the early hours of the morning, but I had had enough excitement and needed my sleep.

Slow TV

We usually look for entertainment in digital media or organised events, hoping for ever more extreme and original fare. Yet, to me, the best entertainment is free and accessible to all. The skies are constantly changing, never repeating. Aligning our sights to them allows us the benefit of enjoying masterpieces, which even the greatest artists could not surpass.

The skies also have the benefit of making us realise how small we are in the great scheme of things, which is not to say that we are diminished, but rather find our rightful place. When we watch the skies with awe and wonder, we are both humbled and grateful and our spirits are raised.

There is no post again next week, as we are going to enjoy the wonders of Italy. I hope to share some manmade marvels with you next time. Ciao!