Staring into the Sun

Eclipse Art in the Park

I have seen a few partial solar eclipses over the years. The first I recall was when I was in high school. I stood out on the front steps of the building with my classmates and we took turns looking through sheets exposed film, which in hindsight, wasn't so smart. In later years I showed my kids how to observe the sun safely on a piece of paper through pinhole cameras, and watching the myriad tiny eclipse images that shone through the leaves on the trees and onto the sidewalk. We got about 80% of the Annular Eclipse last fall and were able to watch it with our granddaughter. Eclipses are really special events.

Mini Eclipses through the leaves in 2017. We never saw these this time. 

In 2017, my husband and I had the exciting chance to see a total solar eclipse just about an hour's drive from our home here in Athens, GA. We weren't sure what to expect, but we had our safe eclipse viewing glasses this time (no exposed film), and I brought my camera to try to photograph the event. I did take photos once we were in total darkness, but I had not thought about needing a filter for the camera as the eclipse was progressing, so I did not get any images of the sun slowly disappearing. It was an amazing experience. Nothing really prepared us for the full deal. The difference between the filtered light of a partial eclipse and the total eclipse is hard to even express. I wrote about the 2017 eclipse in my blog here. At the end of the day we knew that if we had a chance to see another total eclipse we would jump on it. Immediately after the eclipse, the news reported on upcoming solar events and it turned out that the next one would be on April 8, 2024, and Little Rock, Arkansas, where our daughter lives, would be right in the zone of totality! 

Gotta Be Safe!

I'm happy to report that we made good on our promise and were able to take the trip to Little Rock for the total eclipse last week. We were nervous about the weather right up to the day before. Rain and clouds were on and off in the forecast for weeks. And the state of Arkansas warned about traffic problems with the huge crowds that were expected. The governor declared a state of emergency. 

Party in a Box

So Fun!

Eclipse Ice Cream is the Best Kind!

Arkansas Travelers Getting in on the Fun!

We woke up Monday morning to a clear, nice day and set up our chairs and snacks and gear on the driveway in our daughter's front yard! It's so convenient to live in the path of an eclipse! The City of Little Rock gave away some cute Eclipse Watch Party boxes. They had fun themed items like Moon Pies, Capri Sun, Sun Chips, Sunflower Seeds and Orbit Gum. Pretty cute. The state transportation department had some amusing electronic signs on the highway. The whole town was getting into the spirit. A local creamery created special "Dark Side of the Moon" Ice Cream. The Arkansas Travelers baseball team wore jerseys with a total eclipse on the back and sold them after their weekend series as a fundraiser for the team. Downtown there was an Eclipse Fest with a Pink Floyd cover band. Free eclipse glasses all around! 

Awkward and Wobbly Tripod

Heavy, but much better. Totality is only 3 minutes!

I was better prepared for photography this time. I bought a filter for my camera and got a lot of images of the partial sun. I practiced using the filter to take shots of the full sun before we left for our trip. I still wasn't quite prepared for the whole event, though. There are so few opportunities to photograph a total eclipse that I couldn't really practice in the dark, so each time was a learning experience.  When the sun was suddenly covered by the moon, I forgot that I had to take the filter off to see anything and fumbled for a few seconds trying to find the eclipse in the viewer before pulling off the filter and snapping away. If I do this again I might bring a sturdier tripod. But I did ok holding the camera in my hands.

Eclipse Family!

Sun through the strainer

Eclipse Sparkles

We were also prepared to entertain and protect a 4 year old. We helped her decorate a paper plate to hold her glasses against her face. This was an ingenious idea found online. We also brought out a colander to use as a pinhole viewer on the ground, and a sequined stuffed animal to shine little eclipses. The images through the colander proved pretty unsatisfying, and we also didn't see the changes in the light shining through the leaves of the trees on the ground. I don't know why. The sparkly sequins gave a fun effect. A few neighbors came out on their lawns to watch, and we could see people at nearby businesses outside, too. It was very merry.

Full Sun (taken in Athens as a test--sun spot is in different location in later photos)

As the visible sun appeared smaller and smaller, the light changed and it started to feel like dusk at 1pm. Confused birds called. Sensors up and down the street turned porch lights on. The sky was darkening and the temperature dropped. Because we were in the city with traffic sounds, we didn't hear insects like crickets, but still everything seemed quieter. Just as it got totally dark a large flock of crows flew overhead, cawing loudly. Suddenly it was dark and we all tore off our glasses to look at the marvel of a completely blocked sun. We could see stars. The sun's corona glowed from behind the moon and we could see colored flashes that were solar prominences. The totality lasted almost 3 minutes, which was much longer than we had in 2017, at 1 minute, 20 seconds. It was one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. All of us just stood and marveled. Even the four year old. 

Totality

Corona and Prominences

Corona and Prominences

Baily's Beads--Light rays from the Sun streaming through the valleys along the Moon's horizon. 

"Diamond Ring" Effect

And then the first flash of light, called the "diamond ring effect" and the totality was over. The sun is so incredibly bright that a tiny sliver of light from the edge lights the sky and burns the eyes. Glasses and filters back on, and we watched the cheshire cat smile of the sun growing from the bottom of the sun up as the moon continued in its path. 

I'm not sure, but I think that after doing this two times, I may want to be an umbriphile, or person who chases eclipses. The next one will be visible from Iceland and Spain in 2026. Sounds pretty good! Or better yet, Australia has 4 coming up between 2028 and 2038! But this was the last viewable in the US until 2044, so I'm awfully glad we got to see this one! Shine on!

Journey in Place: Healing

Lake Herrick Memorial

It's been almost 2 weeks since Laken Riley, a young nursing student, was murdered in the woods a few blocks from my home in Athens, GA. After a little more than 24 hours of uncertainty and fear for public safety, the police announced that they had arrested a suspect and that there was no longer an immediate threat. It appears that the crime was a terrible, random act. Laken was a runner and was out on the trails in the woods where she often ran. She told a friend where she would be, and then she didn't come home when expected. It was just a random and needless tragedy. Grieving UGA students held a vigil early last week for her and for another student who had taken his life the day before. The community is still in pain. The crime has become an issue much bigger than Athens because it is believed that the suspect is an undocumented foreigner. In these highly charged times, immigration is a white hot topic and politicians have seized on it. I don't want to go much further into that here, but I have to say that it has been very distressing to see our local tragedy playing out in the national, and even international news over and over again and I find it to be opportunistic and exploitative. 

Bloodroot Meadow

When I wrote my last blog entry I was in shock. I was in mourning for the death of a joyful young woman, for her family and friends, and for our community's loss of its sense of safety. How could this happen in a place that I and just about everyone I knew considered to be safe space and a refuge? And how could such an awful thing happen in a park I had come to love, right in the spot I had been writing about for weeks in an exercise about exploring place? I wasn't sure at that time that I would ever be able to go back. I didn't know if I would be or feel safe, or how it would feel to be there knowing that a young woman's future had been violently snuffed out, right there. 

Round Leaf Hepatica

A number of friends who read my post commented, wisely, that the danger is always there, especially for women, but that we can't let this stop us from living and enjoying our lives. And I know this is true. Deep down I knew I would I would eventually get back to Lake Herrick and continue to hike and explore as I have done in the past. But this really shook everyone up, especially before a suspect had been charged with the crime. Several kind people offered to accompany anyone who felt unsafe on runs or bird walks, walking to the parking lots, etc. The University and the City of Athens are taking measures to improve safety, and I'm sure it will make some difference. Now, 2 weeks later, I am pretty sure I will feel ok walking alone, but I will take more precautions. My husband wants me to carry a whistle, and I won't go out owling at night or do early morning birding without someone with me. There are some remote places that in the past I have explored on my own. I will bring a buddy with me now. Not because things suddenly became unsafe, but because this murder reminds us of the ever present danger. The police may have arrested this particular man, but as long as there are other violent or desperate or mentally ill people out there to seize on an opportunity, they will do it. It sucks but it's reality. 

Trail Through the Flowers

Several readers commented about this "wounded place", a term I feel is especially appropriate for Lake Herrick. That's what this is to me now--a place that has absorbed trauma and sadness. It will take a long time to overcome that wounding. I was able to go back and walk the trails in the woods this week, first with my husband and later with a friend. Though the trails had re-opened days before, we were hesitant to go there too soon out of respect for the young woman's family and friends who were still in deep mourning. When we did go, the whole place was unusually quiet. We went during the first weekend of spring break and there were very few people around. It was peaceful and reverential. We felt a little apprehensive walking the trail so near where we think the violence occurred, in case we encountered some bit of police tape or tracks or some other evidence of what had occurred there. But we did not see any of that, and soon our hesitancy was replaced with appreciation for the blooming wildflowers and birdsong and a beautiful blue sky. My husband and I walked and smiled and even took a selfie in the bloodroot meadow. When we walked, my friend and I chatted about life and watched a turtle tromp down the creek to a dead end. It felt almost normal. But if I let my mind stray away from the nature and beauty, I immediately remembered where I was and what had happened there and it made me sad again. Nature is a wonderful healer, but it will take time. We won't forget but our community will heal. 

Bloodroot Blossom

SunningTurtles

Journey in Place: When Your Place Stops Feeling Safe

Hawk perched deep in the woods

My little city of Athens, Georgia is in a state of shock and mourning today. Yesterday afternoon a young woman was found dead in the woods behind Lake Herrick—my “place”. The story has been reported statewide and even appeared in the New York Times. The death is being considered suspicious, but few details have been released. At this point the police have not identified a suspect. I don’t know for certain, but from the aerial photos I’ve seen on the news, it appears that she died very near the trail that I have been claiming as my own for this year of exploring place— “Tranquility Trail”. My heart aches for the young woman and her family and friends. Together we mourn for this person whose young life was senselessly cut short. And the community mourns our loss of innocence. We have lost our sense of safety in nature. What before was considered a quiet place to exercise, walk your dog, bird watch, explore nature, and gain peace of mind has changed in  character forever because now it is the scene of a terrible act of violence. The area is currently closed to the public while the police continue to investigate. Lake Herrick will open again, and I will go back, but I doubt that I will go there alone for a long time, if ever. And even if they catch the person who did this, my confidence has been shattered. Maybe the space never really was safe. Maybe it was always an assault waiting to happen. But for years, I, and others, walked the trails with no fear. All during the pandemic I walked alone, almost every day. For years I have woken up early to count birds by myself in the quiet morning hours for the Christmas Bird Count. I have visited at dusk to watch fireflies and search for owls. Just last week I followed a hawk off of a main trail and into the woods, and watched it sit on a branch for half an hour or more, far away from any other people. I love those times of silence, contemplation and freedom. I won’t be doing that any more. From now on there will always be that voice telling me to be suspicious and not to dare to venture too far into the quiet trees, and that I should not be alone. Now I will not have the freedom to enjoy the solitude. Now I am angry at what this violent act has stolen from this young woman and from us all. As I listen to the constant drone of helicopters circling as they wait for breaking news I feel a tremendous sense of sadness and weariness. I feel like I have lost my place because I’m not sure I can experience it the same way ever again. I am in mourning. 

My Myth--"The Dancers"

For our 4th Journey in Place exploration with Janisse Ray, we were asked to write a myth about something we encountered in our place. Last week I came across this huge oak tree with three trunks. Somehow, in the years that I have been walking these trails, I had never noticed it before. I guess it was waiting for  the right time to reveal its story. Here's my myth--"The Dancers":

Long ago, when humans were very new and just learning, and the earth and its living things were already old, people still understood the language of nature. The people lived in harmony with the earth and its creatures. They shared food and warmth and knowledge. When the people were cold the weaver birds taught them to form fiber into clothing and baskets to hold their food. When the people were hungry the birds and other forest animals showed them where to find seeds and roots to eat. The wasps taught them to build clay pots to cook and carry water. The ants taught them to farm so they could grow their own food. Humans and the other living things shared news of coming storms and dry seasons, when to expect the fruits and migrations and the changing tides. And every month under the light of the full moon, they danced together, sharing their gratitude and friendship. 

Over the years, as they learned more, the humans became enamored with their own skills and tools, and in time they forgot how to listen to the earth. No longer could they hear the signs of the changing seasons and weather. The people became separate from the other living things. They thought they no longer needed to share with the earth and they built vast cities where they once danced together in the moonlight. All that is, but three women, who chose to keep to the old ways. They lived lightly on the earth, and joined the forest creatures to dance on a hilltop every month, loving and thanking their earthly companions. And when the women finally became too old to dance any longer, they grew roots from the soles of their feet and their arms reached for the stars and the moon and they became three trunks of a tall oak tree, growing leaves and acorns to shelter and feed the forest, and dancing together through time. 

Journey in Place: Steps for Befriending a Special Place

 

Rue Anemone and Violet on a Spring day

This post is my response to the week #3 exercises from Janisse Ray's "Journey in Place" course. You can follow her (and join in!) on her Trackless Wild Substack. This week Janisse asks us to write a linear poem listing ways to bond with a place. Here's mine.

Steps for Befriending a Special Place:

• Walk its boundaries--its hills and valleys
• Follow its streams
• Hug some trees. Put your nose against the bark and breathe in deep
• Look at maps and then make your own
• Sit very still and watch a squirrel or deer as it feeds
• Walk every trail
• Lie on your back and look up at the treetops
• Keep a bird list
• Learn the history of the place
• Find a cozy picnic spot and enjoy your lunch as you sit and appreciate the view
• Visit at dawn and dusk
• Create your own names for points of interest--Snaky Elm, Fox Cove, Kingfisher Island, Hepatica Hill, Bloodroot Trail
• Pick a location and monitor the changes weekly, monthly, or through the seasons
• Put your toes in the water of a stream
• Touch the mucky mud. Take a handful and smell it
• Close your eyes and listen for 5 minutes
• Taste some dirt
• Identify the plants and trees
• Look for fish and frogs in its waters
• Record changes through the seasons--flowers, insects, bird and animal populations
• Make a photo album
• Look for insects. Carry a bug jar so you can catch and look closely. Let them go when you're done
• Visit in the heat of summer and on a frosty morning
• Look for animal nests and dens
• Record the temperature at different locations on the same day
• Walk in the rain
• Explore the topography and know where the water goes
• Try to walk up to a turtle without scaring it into the water
• Take a long piece of string and make a circle on the ground. Record everything you see in the circle. Use a magnifying lens and do a deep dive
• Visit in the evening and watch the fireflies come out
• Roll some logs and see what's living under them. Roll the logs back when you're done
• Look for spores on the underside of fern leaves
• Learn some frog calls and go out at night for a frog listening party
• Compare the soil from the hilltops with the soil from down in the valleys
• Hunt for fungus. Turn over mushrooms to look for pores or gills. Make a spore print on some paper. Touch some jelly fungus
• Note invasive species--remove if possible, or if the property is not your own, join groups doing invasive removal projects
• Find a rotting log. Break off a fistful of decaying material and roll it in your hand. Smell the sweet fresh smell of new soil
• Clean up trash
• Take a friend on a guided tour
• Sit in your special place and feel the warmth of the sun and the breeze on your skin. Breathe deeply and give thanks