What a past 24hrs it has been! I purposely went to bed early last night and set my alarm for 1:30am... because I thought the eclipse was going to be most visible at 1:44am. Turns out... it was 12:44am here... eeps.
That said... From what I understand... nothing could be seen here on the westside of ABQ due to cloud cover. I stayed up... trying to get photos of ... well... anything... and did manage to get some shots... but not what I was thinking I would get. Ah well.
Sometimes the best laid plans..... well... you know.
So... the first shot is from around midnight... right before I took a nap... and it shows a glorious full moon. The middle one is from around 2:30am... when I had about 5 seconds of sky before it got all cloudy again. And then the last one... is from 3am... when it went back to a briefly clear sky... and a mostly full moon.
Today I got some wonderful items from a dear friend... she is clearing out and refining her own life... and felt it was time to get rid of alot of her stuff. And so now... I have this incredible art installation in my house comprised of bones... stones... gourds and such. I am beyond thrilled. It is amazing.
And I also got this fabulous info from another dear friend (who saw it on this blogpost) ... about the Winter Solstice... and I thought it was only befitting that I in turn, pass it on to you....
Vicki Noble writes: "At Winter Solstice, a (metaphorical) seed is planted in us. Over the coming year, this seed–planted in the darkness of Winter—will sprout and grow, becoming something manifest in our lives by the fall harvest time. What is it you would like to bring to birth in this coming year? What do you care about and want to protect? What act of power can you make that would transform your fears and doubts into confidence and empowerment?
How can you improve your health, your job, your relationships? These are the ruminations I would suggest you entertain on this powerful Winter Solstice; make it count!
From midnight to late afternoon is your Tuesday window of ritual activity . Fast from gossip and irritability; imagine peace in your heart. Say mantras to help your mind relax and release its habitual patterns. Go into nature, meditate, pray, and be contemplative. Say prayers for all your ancestors; and then say prayers for all your family and friends. When you’re done with that, say prayers for all beings without exception." ((you can read more about Vicki Noble HERE))
*photos by Elaine A. Russell