Day 44: The Curvature of the Earth

 

"There are lessons you can learn from stories you don't believe in." Bart Ehrman

This is a picture of the earth taken from Orion Spacecraft after it did it's burn that is sending it toward the moon.  Looking at it, I just saw one thing... the curvature of the earth.  I don't think I really needed to be convinced... but it's nice to see.  I don't need it to prove to anyone that it is what it is... but it calms my soul that I'm not the one misinformed in my understanding of the planet.  

I like Bart Erhman's quote.  Maybe my journeying through Authentic Lent doesn't have to end this year.  There might be something for me to chew on next year.  I have an idea... but it will take a year for me to want to implement it.  

Day 43: A Cosmic April Fools Joke:

It is April 1st and I woke up around 5:30.  Today is Full Moon and I wanted to see if I could see it from my porch window.  

There it was.  Shining in the West so I could see it peeking through the power lines.  I took two shots with my iPhone.  One with Night mode and one without.  It doesn't look like much, but it was there.  I went back to bed and almost an hour later I went back to check... and it wasn't there.  It had vanished.  Looking at the pictures, it almost looks like the 5:30 am shots were less cloudy.  I'm not an astrophysicist.  I can't explain what happened in an hour to make the moon disappear from my sight.  But one hour it was there and the next it was not.  

I am calling it my Cosmic April Fools Joke.  The Universe is playing with me this morning.  Photographic evidence and a time stamp on my iPhone photos give me a story to share.  

Today is the Launch of Artemis II.  If today goes well and their launch is successful... then if there testing during their  laps around the Earth goes well... they will do a burn and head out of Earth's orbit toward the Moon.  I sent a link for the NASA livestream to my Mom.  I don't know if she will be watching... but if she is at home... she might watch it because it is something we can do together.  I don't think it is all that important to her other than sharing space with me because I was too young to watch it the first time.  

It is real?  Some won't think so.  Some will say this is all a story.  An elaborate one, but still a story.  If they aren't in Florida to see the launch, it will be easier to write it off as a production like they wrote the Apollo missions off as a production.  

3:00 pm... I'm ready.  I am interested.  I am engaged.  I'm with you Artemis II... even if it is just me in my own space. 

5:13 pm

Artemis II is in orbit.  I feel like I have been in a historical moment today.  Not sure how to feel...  

 

Day 42: Going to the Moon... again

 I was a year old when the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon.  I'm 58 now and seeing for the first time tomorrow the beginning of a new journey back to the moon.  April 1 is the scheduled launch date for Artemis 2.  

I looked at the moon this morning before I took this picture and said... "I hope humanity gets to see you soon."  

I wish this could be a human thing and not just an American political agenda.  I realize it cost a lot of money to send people to the moon.  I don't need to leave Earth's atmosphere.  I am content to stay here.  But I am still excited for those adventurous enough to try.  They risk their life and the their family's stability by leaving earth's confines.  If their family supports them, then their family is willing to accept a possible loss if this doesn't end well.  

Could the States spend their money on something more productive.  Probably.  But this is a country that justifies a lot of expenditure on killing people who they don't like.  I think that expense is far more costly than flying four people to the moon and back.  

I am extra excited because one of the astronauts is Jeremy Hanson who is Canadian.  This is, for the first time, not soley an American venture.  

I will be watching the live feed from NASA tomorrow.  For the moments involved I will try not to think about the extravagance of this venture and the political motivation.  For the moments.. I will dream about the possibility that there are people who want to see the stars.  

Day 41: Year old Birthday greetings

So yesterday was my birthday... and there were a few people I had hoped would remember and text me... but the day came and went and my only birthday greetings from them were harvested from their text thread on the last earthly rotation around the sun.  

Thanks to Eckart Tolle... I am aware of my travelling companion in life called "Ego".  Yes, it's "Ego" that gets upset when I don't get a text from certain family members on my birthday. 

I will let it go... that's what Love does.  

 

Day 40: Poplar Sunday Birthday

 

Another birthday post.  Five years now I have been able to record my thoughts on my birthday.  I wonder if there is anything beyond my 940 million kilometre journey around the sun at 107,000 kph that I  find anymore amazing than that.  I told my Mom... gone far fast.  It sure doesn't feel like I'm going far or fast.  March has gone slow.  But now I'm at the end... or almost at the end.  I'm tired and don't even think I can stay up until 9:36 pm.  The time I was actually born.   

I did go out to Kingman today to catch a presentation on a Uganda school that was started by an old friend.  It's not easy to watch presentations like that that have the end goal at finding support.  If I had extra money... it wouldn't be hard to send some their way.  I am proud of the work they did.  And it is a school, not a church.  Grant it... it is probably a school with Christian teaching in it.  Still... the whole presentation seemed very human and less evangelical.  I liked that.  They saw a need and tried to meet that need.  That is what impressed me.  

It's over a half an hour until 9:36 pm.  I don't think I will make it.  Ah the joys of getting older.  

Day 39: Wedding Trees and the Anniversary Bunny

Today is seventeen years since my husband and I got married.  We were treated with a visit by one of our neighbourhood hares.  We put out birdseed in our front yard for the birds.  We get chickadees, sparrows, blackbirds, finches, bluejays, magpies and crows.  Along with the birds, the bunnies come and munch on the birdseed.  We can watch the critter action out our kitchen window.  

There is a calm that bleeds in to our house when the bunnies come by.  We call it Bunny Flow.  Our town has a lot of hares that can be seen on occasion.  There are so many tracks in the snow in our yard that would indicate alot of traffic.  The most we've seen in our yard at one time has been four hares.  

Sometimes they fight for their place at the plate.  Some just wait for an open spot.  Whatever energy they bring, we just sit and soak it in.  

The trees were planted the year we got married.  We got them as seedlings that year and I planted them in the summer.  It is strengthening to watch the growth over the years.  The more the trees grow, the more encouragement we feel.  It is a visual picture of our life together.  

Both are a connection to nature for us.  That is so vital for both of us.  Humanity is only complete when we embrace nature and the world around us.  

 

Day 38: Looking forward to the Launch.

 As I write this, I am listening to the Artemis crew share their thoughts just days before they are planned to launch for their trip around the moon.  I am excited to watch what happens.  I don't know how many people will get excited about this... but I am and I will quietly enjoy the story as it unfolds.  I like how they are more aligned with a human connectedness versus focusing on what is special and different about this mission.  

My dream about humanity is when the differences aren't the focus... but a common humanity is.  I see it possible listening to this diverse but united crew of Artemis 2