By the Light of the Silvery Moons

As the daughter of an astronomy buff, my eyes have been well trained toward the sky. Hardly a night goes by that I don't look upward hoping to catch a glimpse of familiar friends such as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and Pegasus, Andromeda and Orion. And, of course, the familiar face of the Man in the Moon.

With the news of scientists' most recent theory that Earth may have been orbited by two moons before life even existed here, I've been imagining how different things might be if two moons remained today.

For instance--

How would this eerie scene appear with two moons hanging in the sky? More eerie, I'd bet.

Would this vintage arrangement

 

Handmade by my great-uncle, Ted, in the 1940s.

become this?

Would Doris Day's 1953 movie have been called "By the Light of the Silvery Moons?"

Would Margaret Wise Brown have written Goodnight Moons?

Which of the two moons would couples romance by?

Courtesy of  The Graphics Fairy

Would the cow have jumped over the moons?

And, what about Pink Floyd? Would their 1973 album have been "Darkside of the Moons?"

Would my grandpa have picked his corn by the light of the harvest moons?

And what of my dear Man in the Moon?

Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Would he be accompanied by Mrs. Moon? Or would it be Sister Moon?

At the very least, this latest theory gives a whole new meaning to moonbeams.

(You can hear more about the two-moon theory from National Public Radio at http://tinyurl.com/3k5ghbd)

Linking to:

Designer Garden

Welcome to Moonbeams & Fireflies!

And so I venture out

The internet is flush with excellent blogs that give voice to talented creative women and men. For me, venturing into this space is more than slightly intimidating. But, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, so, as I often do, I’m jumping into the deep end of the pool knowing little more than how to dog paddle. It’s bound to get easier as I go along, right?

Since our children have left the nest, I’ve rediscovered the rewards of doing the things I’m passionate about:  gardening, sewing, treasure hunting for items to fill out my various vintage collections, photography, repurposing found items—and the list goes on. My husband is my biggest supporter. And, he’s a good sport about the mess I make and time I devote to my many projects.

Moonbeams and Fireflies is my way of sharing thoughts and experiences about all those things I enjoy in my “free” time. And, it’s a way for me to link up to and share some of the incredible work I’ve discovered others are doing.

Moonbeams and Fireflies also is a tribute to my wonderful parents.

Dad loves astronomy and remains a star-gazer into his 80s. When I was eight or nine years old, he built a telescope so we could experience the moon and stars at closer range. It was during those heavenly outings with Dad that I fell in love with that mysterious, round-faced Man in the Moon—a romance that continues today.

 

On summer nights, star-gazing often was combined with a thrilling dash to catch fireflies. Mom outfitted canning jars with fine mesh in place of the metal seals, turning them into firefly lanterns for my sister and me. The release of the fireflies at the end of the evening always seemed so bittersweet.

Many years later, when my children were small, Mom created a more whimsical version of her canning-jar firefly lanterns. What wonderful treasures these are!

Building on a foundation

In the past couple of years, I’ve discovered a multitude of exceptional blogs that have inspired me to go digital with my writing. My 30+ -year career (it's not over yet!) is built on a foundation of writing and editing—for other people and mostly in the world of print. This writing, now, is just for me. And, if you’re inclined to follow along with my ramblings, I’m happy to have you be a part of the world of Moonbeams & Fireflies.