Harvest Moon

Today I experienced the Harvest Moon. In times past I had experienced the rising of this moon as the largest in the year. It peeks over the horizon and then fills the sky. It glows gold in the twilight of the day. It rises up to fill the night air with a pure white light. I did not pay much attention to how long it stayed in the sky. I did not realized it would still be filling the landscape with a bright glow at 6 am making it possible to see everything around as clearly as a street light fills the air with light.

With our modern streetlights we create a hazy gold glow every night of the year but before electricity for millions of years this night light in the sky only happened all night in the fall after the equinox, the first full moon after the equal day and night in the fall.

We are so used to having light at night that we don't even notice it, but once a year our ancestors all over the world could stay up all night with the moon lighting their world for three days! It is no wonder that they had a special celebration of this majestic moon. What a treat.

Happy Veterans Day!

My thoughts have gone to the citizens of this country that have chosen the military as part of their lives. I have just watched the ceremony in Arlington Cemetery and listened to the marches and watched the flags go by and it gave me thought about how different we as Americans feel about this activity than when I was little.

I was raised between the Navy Post Graduate School, the Defense Language Institute and Fort Ord. Most of my friends were from families who had dedicated their lives to service of our country. There was a feeling of commodore, support and pride in doing this which I don’t feel in this country at large.

We do not realize how much support of a military force and the right use of these young people is in our own best interest. There have been engaged horrible wars that have been at the expense of the brightest and best of our young people. The Oval office has taken these forces and used them very poorly, VERY POORLY. But this does not mean we do not need these young men and women to be there for us.

I am proud of the dedication, and courage that the forces of our country show every day. I am NOT proud of how those forces have been used to further some presidential agenda.

My prayer is that each one of us that knows one of these brave people will give them a big hug, love them for their dedication and courage, and help them in any way we can to readjust to being home when President Obama brings the back.

Today is a day to remember those who will never come back. Pray for their families, friends and us all for their loss.

Happy Veterans Day!