Wednesday, 8 April 2020

Evening Skies

There have been some unlikely shifts in perception in the last few days. There is of course one big subject, but there's not much new to be said about it. Most people seem to be content with a simple "You doing OK?" when they meet and then move on to other matters which, as one matter is pressing down on us unrelentingly, have bobbed unexpectedly to the surface. What's more, these things, which we'd usually keep to ourselves, are discussed in loud voices as we maintain a physical distance from others while, at the same time, we are all in this together.


Thus it is that, with no football to talk about, two middle-aged men might find themselves involved in a conversation about birdsong, wildflowers and sunsets. Oh, and did you know that there's a "super moon" tonight?



A new moon in April is apparently known as a "pink moon", not for its colour but from the flower which they say is blooming at this time in North America, from whose indigenous peoples these poetic terms are derived. Yesterday evening though, perhaps because of the thin cloud layer in the upper atmosphere, it had a glorious golden glow for a few minutes shortly after sunset.



Browsing absent-mindedly through the less-visited parts of the internet yesterday I came across a radio programme which is usually a brief biography of a major figure in the news. This episode however concerned a young Polish pianist whom the presenter had recently discovered and whose music brought his some solace in recent evenings, opening up peaceful, gently shifting landscapes in his mind.

Funny thing that, because somehow I'd discovered the same music at roughly the same time.....



That's Hania Rani playing "Esja", a track on her solo piano album of the same name. It takes its title from a mountain in Iceland.


Take care.


22 comments:

  1. How very, very beautiful.
    I struggle to take photos of the moon, and tonight we have far too much cloud.
    Thank you for these glorious skyscapes.

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  2. I had not been aware of the Super Moon, but my daughter and her husband went out to some remote area near Ottawa where they live and sent us a picture of what they saw. We then went outside but there was heavy overcast and rain here so we saw nothing! If social distancing continues for months we may all lose the capacity for intimate chats, and hugging and kissing one's friends may be but a distant memory! Will it all ever be the same again. How will we feel shoehorned into the airline seat with fellow passengers almost overflowing on to us? So may questions. So few answers.

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  3. Hi John - yes the supermoon I briefly saw it ... so am grateful for your lovely shots - the moon has an amazing hold on us in so many ways. Conversations, hugs and being emotionally aware of our family and friends I'm sure will be there - may be better ... yet we'll have to deal with many who have gone - that will be the major challenge.

    I love the pianist and her piece - I can see Iceland in the moon light - take care - Hilary

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  4. I captured the same moon...I am always so amazed that we can get such good shots...atbkeast if I can hold the camera steady.

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  5. Glorious! The moon and the song and the conversations.

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  6. Just to report that the rising and setting Pink Moon has actually been pink here in New England. And heart-achingly beautiful. Thanks much - enjoy reading always.

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  7. Too much cloud cover for us to get a view of the moon. You got some nice moon shots, so I'm thankful for viewing those. The pianist's piece is nice.

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  8. Great photos of the moon :)

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  9. Nice sunset I missed it from out house just saw a yellow glow, Took a couple of shots of the moon though it did not look pink to me

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  10. Thank for photographing that moon in the golden glow, so beautiful. Looking at that and listening to the music was a wonderful moment. Thank you.

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  11. Lovely moon shots. Yes, we humans have adjusted to distancing physically, as well as not touching our faces! It will certainly change how we interact when this is all over!

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  12. Your moon photos are gorgeous! Thank you for sharing. I did not get to take any. Stay safe and have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

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  13. I love your photos here, John. I knew there was a super moon but I didn't get out to see it. The music is beautiful and flowing...a welcome balm these days. It speaks to me of freedom.

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  14. I heard there would be a super moon but unfortunately I did not see it. Your photos are fabulous!

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  15. No moon view here last night. Just after dinner the clouds rolled in. Thanks for sharing. And what lovely music. I made a cup of tea and sat down and just enjoyed listening to it and being carried away.

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  16. That third photo is fantastic.

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  17. It was raining here so no moon for us! Lovely music, John.

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  18. The moon was lovely here before midnight, but sometimes between 3 and 4 some wild storms blew in. Odd what you say about talking with people. I've seen exactly 3 people besides my husband since we self-quarantined: my son who dropped off a few things we needed the other evening and sat 20 feet away while we chatted for a while, and a neighbor and his son who brought some mortar for Larry's project, and worked up our garden. Again, at a long distance.

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  19. Great moon shots, John, as the cloud cover here hid it from us when we were out for our evening walk. Yes, the new social interactions are quite interesting and hopefully some will continue even when life returns to “normal.” Thanks for the lovely musical break.

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  20. Beautiful John, both the moon and the music.
    We walked down our street Tuesday night to view the moon and to get much needed movement - we could stride which is hard around the limited garden environs where I find myself just toddling...........or at this age perhaps it's actually more like doddering!!!!

    Stay safe - Mary

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  21. The moon is so lovely and I thought in our neck of the woods that it did look a bit pink - maybe just my imagination.
    So thankful for the phone and internet. How hard it must have been years ago to not know how your friends and family were faring.

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  22. Beautiful photos of both skies and moon:)

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