"Wondrous Skies" New Year Greetings

  

     At this time of year, we remember how once Shepherds and Wise Men were in awe of the heavenly sights they witnessed in the night sky.  

     Karen & I can appreciate this to some degree; we have lived in both Yellowstone (1970's) and Grand Canyon (2000's) National Parks. Each is situated at high elevations, away from the lights of any urban areas. This made for some absolutely amazing night skies!

     At the Grand Canyon, one treat was to view the Canyon at night under a full moon. The Canyon actually "glows!" Indeed , the more adventurous employees on such nights would  hike down into the Canyon without using flashlights/headlamps (Park Service does not recommend this, however).

 

Here is a time-exposure photo of the Grand Canyon in the moonlight:

 

     While at Yellowstone, a treat was to watch the geysers erupt at night. Here is Old Faithful Geyser, erupting with a full moon behind it:

      The last two winters while still RVing, Karen & I lived at Park of the Sierras. POS is located only 30 mi south of an entrance to Yosemite National Park. Here is a time-exposure of Yosemite from Valley View Overlook on a winter night:

El Capitan is at left center of the valley. The bright object at the top is Jupiter, which was putting on a show that night.

 

     Finally, I want to share this video I recently downloaded from "Astronomy Picture of the Day." (The APOD site is worth bookmarking, as I have done on my computer.)

 

     Because we are presently at the height of the 11-yr sunspot cycle, the Northern Lights are really spectacular these days. This time-exposure video has several views of the Aurora Borealis ("Northern Lights") over Norway...    Enjoy!

 

--Ed and Karen
 

 

Merry Christmas ...from Sonoma!
 

 

 We are loving our one-bedroom "Funky Cottage" and feeling more settled. 

 

We enjoy the first "real" Christmas Tree in seven years, all three-feet-high of it

 

We are LOVING living close to...

 

...our Kids, Hans and Anne Marie (here w their Mom)

 

 

...Hans' wife, Vickie (on left, w her Mom)

 

...and, of course, the GRANDKIDS!

 

Here are Hans' and Vickie's boys, Jason (l, age 5) and Calvin (r, age 7)

 ...having a fun w their Dad's iPad

 

Annie w husband Aaron and granddaughter Olive (age 2)

 

...and Olive enjoying her Great-Grandmother's (Ed's Mom)100-yr old rocker

 

...which we got out of storage this year when we moved here.
 

 

This Christmas, we join Christians all over the world in proclaiming Good News;
that even in a world filled w contention, loss, and the shadows of strife ---

 

"The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness--

on them light has shined." 

--Isaiah 9:2

 

"When the magi saw that the star... they were overwhelmed with joy.

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother;

and they knelt down and paid him homage.

Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts
 of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."

--Matthew 2:10-11

 

 

... We wish all a Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2014 ...

 

---Ed and Karen