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Moon Gazing

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“See yonder fire! It is the moon
Slow rising o’er the eastern hill.
It glimmers on the forest tips,
And through the dewy foliage drips
In little rivulets of light,
And makes the heart in love with night.”

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christus, The Golden Legend (1872)

It may seem strange to some, but a full moon can take my breath away. I stop and stare.  It seems to draw me in every time with a mysterious magnetism. And, it’s just so big and bright and beautiful! I always find myself wanting to share the experience with whoever may be nearby— ‘Look at that amazing moon!’  I also typically snap half a dozen photos trying to capture the moment (never does look quite as beautiful as I’d actually seen it, but I keep trying).

 

Over the years, the response to my moon gazing has been somewhat mixed. Although friends will kindly indulge me with a look up, and everyone is interested in special events like the January 2018 Super Blue Blood Moon, many don’t quite get my fascination with the Moon.

Following a special lunar event, a full moon may seem very ordinary to some as it happens every month (well, almost every month– February 2018 was a month without a full moon), or there’s sometimes a tendency for people to believe nothing good happens during a full moon (or worse– something really bad happens).  I feel nothing negative or ordinary at all when gazing at the Moon, and decided long ago this moon thing might have something to do with my zodiac sign, Cancer the crab. According to astrologers, Cancer is ruled by the Moon – making me a ‘moonchild’.  However, astrology can’t explain everything because there are plenty of non-Cancer moon gazers out there, and it’s been going on for thousands of years.

 

 

The Moon was revered throughout ancient societies as humans began to recognize the Moon’s influence on life cycles– crops, tides, fertility, and some form of moon worship can be found in most ancient religions, from the ancient Celts to the Egyptians.  Probably the most enduring and enthusiastic moon gazers are the Japanese.

Tsukimi (or ‘Otsukimi’, literally ‘moon-viewing’, also known as ‘Jugoya’) refers to the Japanese tradition of holding parties to view the Harvest Moon (typically September/October in today’s calendar).  Still popular today, this celebratory moon-viewing in Japan is an aesthetic custom with a spiritual component that can be traced back as far as the Heian period (794 to 1185) when Japanese aristocrats held events aboard boats to view the Moon’s reflection on the water’s surface.  Modern Tsukimi festivities continue with the traditions as people gather on the evening of the full harvest moon at a place the Moon can be clearly seen, decorate with pampas grass, and serve white rice dumplings and other seasonal foods known collectively as Tsukimi dishes, and sake as offerings to the Moon.  In Buddhism, a full moon is a symbol of enlightenment, and the phases of the Moon represent the changes of life. In Shinto, the Moon is a symbol of the wonder, beauty and awe of natural phenomenon. There’s also a long-established obsession in Japan with the Moon and its affect on poetic inspiration.

When you’re an avid moon gazer or a newbie, it helps to know the best dates and times to look for the Moon as it changes with the seasons as well as moon phases.  Below are Moonrise/Moonset time/position tables (along with explanatory notes) provided by Karen Masters, Ask an Astronomer – Cornell University, and full moon calendars .

 

Moon gazing is a long-established tradition, and will fill you with wonder and inspiration.

 

Moonrise/Moonset Times

The time of day the Moon rises or sets depends on its phase. The table below summarizes moonrise and moonset times. [Note: “Local noon” and “local midnight” as used in the table are the points in time when the Sun crosses the meridian, and exactly 12 hours later. This can be different from the time on your watch because that time reflects time zones used to determine local time. Zola uses Willy Weather website and free app to find the times for moonrise and moonset, but you can search any local or online weather related resource for that information.]

If you're a moon gazer, it helps to have Moonrise and Moonset time tables

Moonrise/Moonset Position

When the Moon is new, it rises and sets with the Sun, and the position of Moonrise and Moonset varies just like that of Sunrise and Sunset. When the Moon is full, however, the pattern is inverted. The chart below sets it all out. [Note: The chart is for the Northern Hemisphere. For Southern Hemisphere moon gazers, exchange North for South in the chart.  A certain amount of variation in the direction depends on your latitude.]

If you're a moon gazer, it's good to know what direction to look. So, here's a Moonrise and Moonset position chart.

FULL MOON CALENDAR

I must admit my moon gazing avocation is haphazard.  I tend to just look up at the night sky and see what’s up there as there’s pleasure in every moon phase, and a dark, clear night with no moon is the perfect time for stargazing.  But, there are those that prefer to make a moon watching plan to avoid missing something special, prepare telescopes and camera equipment, schedule a visit to an observatory, park area with good moon viewing, or attend a moon festival to add more to the experience.  It’s a great night for a party, field trip or peaceful meditation — your choice.  Below are 2019 & 2020 Full Moon Calendars for US and Canada (times indicated on tables are Eastern Time Zone) courtesy of the Old Farmer’s Almanac).  [Note:  A full moon occurs around the globe at the same moment regardless of location, but there’s a difference in date and time because of time zones.  To find the exact date/time of the full moon anywhere on Earth, go to the moon phases – lunar calendar ⇒ here and search by location and year.]

LUNAR SPECIAL EVENTS 

Hey there moon gazers!  If you missed the first full moon and lunar eclipse of 2019, there’s still time to watch a video recording of this very special total lunar eclipse.  Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

 

⇒⇒ Did you miss the July 27, 2018 stream broadcast of the longest total lunar eclipse (aka “Blood Moon”) of the century?  Or, do you want to see it again?  There’s still time to watch a video recording of this special event via Photographing Space camera positioned in South Africa.  Just click/tap the play button in the center of the media player below↓

 

Information/Resources:
How Does the Position of Moonrise and Moonset Change? Cornell University – Ask an Astronomer
April 2018 is Global Astronomy Month, and the Moon will celebrated this year with a series of special programs for rediscovering this bright, beautiful orb in Earth’s night sky (Astronomers Without Borders)
A Planet’s Domicile in Astrology (Wikipedia) – In astrology, a planet’s domicile is the zodiac sign over which it has rulership, and the assignments of the ruling planets appear to be based upon the Northern Hemisphere seasons. The Sun was awarded to Leo and Cancer the Moon as the months the Sun passed through these two zodiac signs were the warmest and had the longest days in ancient times.
Photography: John William Draper (1811-1882) was the first to successfully take an ‘astrophotograph’ in 1840, a quite amazing detailed photo of a full moon.
Tsukimi history, Wikipedia

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Feature photo of moon gazing at Mount Tamalpais State Park, California, USA is courtesy of Todd Diemer/Unsplash CC0
Moon gazing photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Hank Conner, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Zola’s moon gazing photo album, © 2018-19 Zeester Media LLC

Earth from Space

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When Earth is viewed from the vantage of space, the experience is awe-inspiring. It’s called “The Overview Effect”, described by astronauts as an overwhelming feeling and realization that our planet is beautiful, fragile and an “interconnected whole with one destiny”.  Seeing Earth from space is also the best place for scientists to learn about our planet, and the ability to fly into space satellites that continuously gather data and images has provided an important tool to our understanding of the Earth and its environment.  Watch these videos for a short ride above the the Earth and see for yourself. 

Time-Lapse Earth is a short video produced by Bruce W. Berry Jr. using sequences taken from the International Space Station (ISS) as it orbited Earth.  ISS makes the trip about once every 90 mins at a speed of 27,600kmh/17,150mph and altitude of 400km/250mi.

 

NASA’s The Earth: 4K Extended Edition offers ultra high definition views of Earth captured in 2016 by NASA astronaut Jeff Williams during an ISS mission.  You’ll see the French Riviera and the Sahara Desert, cross North America from Texas up to Canada, and more as the camera orbits Earth from 250 miles up.

 

NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman served as Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 41 from May through November of 2014, and in an episode of NASA video series Down to Earth, he explains his thoughts and feelings while seeing Earth from space — “I never imagined in my entire life getting to see something that beautiful”. 

 

In this December 6, 2017 Gravity Assist podcast, Jim Green, Director of Planetary Science at NASA, is joined by Tom Wagner of NASA’s Earth Science Division, to talk about the Earth, it’s sea ice and volcanoes, and how studying planets like Venus and Mars helps provide clues about the future of our home planet.  Just click/tap the play button ▶ to listen to the audio recording.

 

Apollo 17 photo taken December 13, 1972 on the lunar surfaceWant to see more from outer space?
It’s free to watch the Cosmos video on demand channel, a collection of On2In2™ selected ‘out-of-this-world’ short videos.

 

 

 

Galaxy M74 is a stunning example of a spiral galaxy with its perfectly symmetrical spiral arms emanating from the central nucleus and are dotted with clusters of young blue stars and glowing pink regions of ionized hydrogen.Take a look at these incredible views of the Universe
—- Mysteries of a Galaxy 

 

 

 

 

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Feature photo courtesy of NASA, sourced from Unsplash CC0

Art Transforming Trash

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“The opposite of beauty is not ugly… it’s indifference.” — Richard Lang

There are many complex issues involved in the elimination of pollutants from the environment, but there’s at least one problem easy to identify and understand — trash.  Take just one walk on a beach, and you’ll quickly see the ugly truth.

More than 8 million tons of plastic makes its way into the Ocean each year, and the stuff doesn’t go-away or disappear.  Just one plastic bag takes 1,000 years to decompose.  Much of this garbage can be seen floating on top of the ocean surface.  Between California and Hawaii, the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is more than double the size of Texas, and it’s just one of many similar floating debris patches.

Ray Ives, a retired Royal Marine and commercial diver, saw even more during his 40+ years of deep sea diving,……“You can’t believe some of the things people dump in the sea.  It’s like the biggest rubbish dump in the world”.

Artists are using their creative talents in amazing ways to help make positive change as their works of art bring attention to the plastic pollution problem the world faces and inspire all of us to “rethink plastic”.

Gyrecraft is a short film about crafting objects at sea, in the past with whale’s teeth and in the future with plastics collected from Ocean waters.

Studio Swine went on a 1,000 nautical mile journey through the North Atlantic Gyre, from the Azores to the Canaries, collecting plastics as they sailed.  (The North Atlantic Gyre is one of five large systems of circulating ocean currents.  The vortex of currents traps man-made marine debris into a large, dense floating debris zone called  the ‘North Atlantic Garbage Patch’.)  Using a specially designed ‘Solar Extruder’ machine, the plastic pieces collected during the trip were melted on board ship with heat from the Sun, creating a ‘sea plastic’ material used to create art works.

 

In the short video, Sea Chair, watch as a stool is built on a boat from the plastic collected in a fisherman’s nets.

 

Since 1999, Richard and Judith Selby Lang have been visiting a special spot at Kehoe Beach at the Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California, collecting plastics that have washed up on shore. The Lang’s then take their treasures home, wash and sort the items, and create works of art.  Over the years, they’ve collected tons of the stuff, learned a lot about ocean pollution, and discovered each little bit of found plastic has an interesting story to tell and provides an insight into human culture.

 

Aurora Robson is a multi-media artist known for her work with waste materials, and the founding artist of Project Vortex a collective of creatives who work with plastic debris as a medium and support organizational efforts to reduce the amount of plastic littering the oceans and shorelines of the world. She has said the intention of her art is “to take something negative, try to change the direction it’s going, and turn it into something positive”.

 

Inspired to create your own “environmental art”, but not sure how to start?  David Edgar creates marine life art forms from plastic bottles, and his instructional fish project video is a how-to guide for beginners. In the demonstration, you’ll learn that creating a sculpture requires scissors and a couple of simple tools, and reshaping plastic can be accomplish with heat from a hair dryer.  Really, the possibilities are endless because unfortunately, so is the trash.

 

Information/Resources:

Point Reyes National Seashore  Point Reyes is a peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, supporting a large diversity of species throughout the food chain and ecosystem.

One Plastic Beach  The Lang’s offer workshops, presentations, art sales, commercial and residential artwork commissions

Aurora Robson  See more art and media

Washed Ashore – Haseltine Pozzi, an artist and longtime art teacher, made it her mission to collect garbage that washes up along the Oregon coastline and use it to create large art sculptures in an effort to bring awareness to the enormous amount of plastic pollution in oceans and waterways and inspire change.

Project Vortex is an international collective of artists, designers and architects creating art works with plastic debris in support of projects that intercept plastic waste in innovative ways and help water cleanup efforts.

Plastic Ocean by Tan Zi Xi – an inspired art installation simulating the environment of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch created the experience of being immersed in a space covered with trash.

Healthy Seas – a joint venture of non-government organizations and businesses dedicated to cleaning ocean of litter and recycling it into new products such as socks, swimwear, textiles and carpets.

International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated annually the third Saturday in September.
(Save the Date:  September 21, 2019)

Plastic Oceans Foundation – a non-profit organization with a mission to engage people through education and media projects, campaigns and global partnerships

Underwater sculpture museums contain breathtaking works of art that seek to encourage environmental awareness and appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty of the underwater world.You’ll be surprised to see what lies
beneath the waves – Art Underwater 

 

 

The Ocean is an essential life force, and we must stop its destructionOur Oceans are suffering from many decades of
abuse and neglect, but each of us has the power to help heal it 

 

 

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Feature photo is courtesy of Free Stock Pro/Pexels CC0

Hallelujah

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“Many different hallelujahs exist.” — Leonard Cohen (1934 – 2016)

It was a cold, early December day walking the streets of the Strasbourg Christmas Markets when my friends and I stumbled upon the 2,000 year old St. Thomas Church and decided to take a look inside.  The interior was stunningly beautiful, welcoming and warm, and stagehands were busy setting up while a small choir began rehearsing.  We decided to take a seat in the pews and watch.  Then, a lovely performance of Hallelujah filled the church and touched us all with its powerful message.

Written by Canadian singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen, after years of torturous writing sessions and 80 draft versions, Hallelujah has been covered and performed by over 300 singers since its first release in 1984 on Cohen’s album Various Positions, using a mix of different lyrics and a variety of interpretations and tones ranging from the melancholic, inspirational to joyous. [Recommended reading: The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of “Hallelujah”]*  Here are just two of the 300+ versions, both with the power to inspire and move you to tears.

Information/Resources:

St. Thomas Church Strasbourg  Église Saint-Thomas (nicknamed the ‘Protestant Cathedral’ and ‘Die Late Dame’ (the Old Lady) is a historical building in Strasbourg, France, and has been the city’s primary Lutheran church since the Strasbourg Cathedral became Catholic after annexation of the city by France in 1681.  St. Thomas today is an impressive example of Alsatian Gothic architecture, and contains the Maréchal de Saxe, a masterpiece of 18th-century baroque funerary art.

Hallelujah – BBC Radio Soul Music – Series 20, a music and lyrical analysis (April 14, 2015), artists tell their personal stories of the song’s affect on their lives

The word ‘hallelujah’ is used in both Jewish and Christian prayer, and often spoken in modern English to express happiness that a thing hoped or waited for has happened.

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book or music purchase you make via the links within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Feature photo is courtesy of Zac Durant/Unsplash CC0

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Capitale de Noël

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Strasbourg is an historic, multi-cultural city located close to the eastern border of France with Germany in the Alsace region, and known for its architecture, medieval streets and the Grande Île (Grand Island) city center, Gothic churches, parks and museums, Alsatian food specialities, and the Christmas Markets.

The Christmas Markets have been a tradition in Strasbourg for four centuries, making it one of the oldest in Europe, and the city seems to magically transform into a dazzling wonderland during the month of December.  Everything—-streets, buildings, churches, shop windows and balconies are covered in lights and decorations, each uniquely beautiful.  Hundreds of stalls and shops throughout the city offer Christmas ornaments, arts and crafts, gift items, souvenirs, food and drink, and there is a wide variety of entertainment, including concerts and cultural events.  Absolutely no doubt — Strasbourg deserves the title Capitale de Noël (the Capital of Christmas).

 

 

A travelogue of our visit to the Christmas Markets in Strasbourg, France

After a two week stay in the French countryside, a friend suggested a quick trip to the Strasbourg Christmas Markets before the return home.  We explored for three nights/two and a half days, and discovered a charming city full of lights, history and special moments.

Getting There:  We took a high-speed SNCF train from Le Mans to Strasbourg.  The trip schedule was 2.5 hours as there were a few stops on the route, but the train was 30 minutes late leaving the Le Mans station. [Note: Train travel has advantages, but it’s not exactly easy for beginners and/or those with little or no French language skills.  See ‘Train Travel in France’ below for links to info and helpful tips]   Upon arrival, it was dark and cold, and that made the walk in search of our hotel harder.  At the entrance to the city center, a security check required us to open each of our bags for a search.  So far, not really feeling the Christmas spirit.

Moon Before Yule:  We were so lucky to see the biggest and brightest Supermoon of 2017 while walking the streets of Strasbourg.  Gorgeous! 

Festive Reunion:  The Christmas Markets are best when shared with family and friends.  We joined cousin, Ursula, and her friend Bine for a very special ‘reunion’ breakfast at the BOMA Hotel (7, rue du 22 Novembre 67000) before they had to drive back to Remscheid, Germany.  The night before, we all enjoyed a late dinner at a brasserie near our hotels. There was a happy, friendly crowd, good food & service.  [Aedaen Place, 4 Rue Des Aveugles]

Church of St. Thomas:  We had been making our way through cold, wet streets crowded with people for hours when we ran across St. Thomas (11, rue Martin Luther) and decided to take a look inside.  It was so much more than we expected.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg:  Will forever remember the feeling when turning a corner and — wow! there it is.  This “gigantic and delicate marvel” (Victor Hugo) is the sixth tallest church in the world and the highest surviving structure built entirely in the Middle Ages.  The interior is nothing short of magnificent with the choir screen dated 1252, grand high alters (1500 and 1682), huge stained glass windows (mostly dated 14th century, some from 12th, 13th and 20th centuries), a suspended pipe organ, and one of the largest astronomical clocks in the world.  I lit a votive in memory of Opa Kneupper, and we all sat in awe for awhile in the pews.

Palais Rohan:  Next door to the Strasbourg Cathedral is the Rohan Palace (1732-1742), former residence of prince-bishops and cardinals of the French noble family Rohan.  Today, it’s considered a masterpiece of French Baroque architecture, and houses three museums: the Archaeological Museum (in the basement), the Museum of Decorative Arts (ground floor) and the Museum of Fine Arts (1st and 2nd floors). We visited all three, and liked the Museum of Decorative Arts best because of the opportunity to walk through the grand apartments and chambers of the palace.

Petite France:  With half-timbered houses dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, stone bridges and waterways, this is the most picturesque district of old Strasbourg, and the location of my favorite Christmas market.

Glühwein and Lebkuchen:  Really– It’s all about the food and drink!  If you’ve ever been to a German Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt), you’ll always remember the smells and tastes of glühwein (warm, spiced red wine) and lebkuchen (gingerbread-like cookies), and I was guessing there would be a good supply in Strasbourg because of its historic French-German culture.  I was right, but it took some hunting and a lot of tasting.  Along the way, discovered a wonderful Christmas tea, cookies and stollen (fruit bread).  My absolute best-ever/favorite stollen was discovered at Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie (9, rue des Serruriers – near St Thomas church).  A wonderful little bakery; also, loved the traditional Christmas cookies and macarons ‘toujours’.  At a small booth just a few steps away from Maison Alsacienne, we enjoyed a perfect serving of glühwein (located in front of Les deux gourmandes).  I was about to give up hope when I found really, really good lebkuchen from Mireille Oster at a booth in Petite France, and you must go to a Dammann shop (2 locations: 48, rue du Fossé des Tanneurs & 19, rue des Orfèvres) for the most delicious teas.

Snow:  Yes, there was that perfect moment on day 2 when we knew — it’s Christmas.

 

 

Christmas Markets Travel Tips (from lessons learned)

It’s best to stay in the city center, but hotel room reservations can be difficult, if not impossible, during the Christmas Markets.  Plan ahead and book well in advance.

Prepare for long walks in the cold, rain and snow.  Coat, hat, gloves and walking shoes–the works.  At the same time, pack as light as possible because the streets are bumpy (those cobblestones are killers!), and there are invariably steps to climb and descend as well as broken elevators and escalators in the train stations and airports.  You can get lucky (like I did) and a kind soul will help you with your bags, but don’t count on it.

It’s surprisingly easy to get lost (at least in our experience).  Wandering around can lead to interesting discoveries, but can also waste valuable time when you’re on a tight schedule.  Directions received from helpful locals are often unreliable and/or confusing because of language issues, hard to remember street names, and the many twists and turns of medieval streets.  Best to study-up on the city layout beforehand, and have a map (paper or digital) with you at all times.  [Tip: rue = street]

The crowds seem to pick up later in the day, and this causes a lot of crushing jam-ups in the narrow streets, small shops, cafés and bistros.  Go early to see and do more, but do not miss the late evening hours when the decorative lights are sparkling everywhere, creating a fairylike, romantic winter wonderland.

Look closely at ornaments and decorations sold in the booths.  We were disappointed at first because many seemed to be mass-produced imports, but there are some beautifully hand-crafted, unique, and locally made items available at the markets.  Take the time to search, and you’ll find something special.

Strasbourg is English-friendly, making communication much easier for English speaking tourists with no French language skills.  However, making an effort to learn some basics and use French greetings and phrases can smooth the way for a better experience.  Try practicing with Duolingo, free game-like French lessons (online or apps available).  It’s kinda fun.

The French have specific times and ways of eating during the day —  Follow the customs or go hungry. Breakfast (le petit déjeuner) is typically bread or croissants, butter and jam, and a cup of tea, coffee long or café au lait, or hot chocolate, but hotels and cafes may offer more variety.  Lunch (le déjeuner) is the main meal of the day, and the French like to take time to relax and enjoy a full menu, including a starter (une entrée), main course (le plat principal), and cheese course and/or dessert.  Most restaurants open for lunch at 11:30am and continue serving new customers until about 1pm (FYI – lunchtime hours are sometimes closer to 12-2pm), and many offer a special fixed lunchtime menu (le Menu du jour) or a special main course called “plat du jour”.  Evening dinner (le diner) is much the same with service at restaurants typically starting around 8pm, but dinner at a restaurant is considered by the French to be a special event with a bigger menu, including classic three/four (sometimes 5-6) courses courses requiring 2-3 hours savoring at the table.  Travelers looking for a brunch, ‘late’ lunch or early dinner will have problems finding a place that will serve them.  During the Christmas Markets, Strasbourg restaurants may not take dinner reservations or they’ll book up early, so plan ahead.  If you missed your chance to dine at a restaurant, keep walking to find a café, bistro or brasserie for good food and flexible hours.

Its always nice to have a few snacks and drinks in the hotel room, and we got everything we needed at the small grocery, U-Express, 5 Grand Rue.  Take along a big shopping bag to carry all the bottles of wine.

Feeling a little under-the-weather?  Look for the lighted green cross sign.  It’s the mark of a French pharmacy, and they’ve probably got a quick, easy solution for you.  Just walk in, point to your trouble spot, and explain the problem you’re having.

Information/Resources:

Christmas Markets in Strasbourg, an online visitor’s guide in French, German & English languages.  [2019 Christmas Markets:  November 22 – December 30]

Strasbourg Office of Tourism (information on all the things to see and do in Strasbourg)

Train Travel in France –  Guide to Traveling in France by Train; and French Your Way (tips on how to buy a ticket at the train station and locate the platform and your coach for boarding)

Security – Since a bomb threat in the year 2000, the Strasbourg Christmas Markets festival has been under reinforced security.  [Editor’s note: In 2017, there were security entry check points requiring a search of luggage and bags, and armed police and soldiers patrolled the streets.  Despite the vigilance, tragedy occurred on the evening of December 14, 2018, when a man attacked people on the city center streets near the markets with a gun and knife, killing 5 and injuring 11.  As a result, the markets were closed for a day and re-opened with additional security measures, including shorter hours, limited tram service and closed bridges.  Find visitor safety tips → here ]

Wikipedia:  Strasbourg Cathedral, St Thomas’ Church, Palais Rohan

Museum of Decorative Arts (museum website translated to English language)

Feature photo:  The Strasbourg Christmas Tree © 2017 Zeester Media LLC
The 2017 Christmas Tree is 30 meters high (more than 98 feet), weighs 7-9 tons, and comes from the Donon area of Lorraine, France.  It’s decorated with 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) of twinkling fairy lights, along with more than 300 flashing lights, 40 large baubles featuring gold stars and 180 illuminated angels, biscuits, candles, apples and stars to create a “Christmas of Yesteryear” theme.

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Beautiful & Fascinating

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The memory of my grandmother, an avid ‘up-cycler’, carefully cutting off buttons from the family’s time-worn clothes and saving both the buttons and fabric for future use, is what probably inspired me to hold onto buttons.  Kept in a zip storage bag, my eclectic assortment has grown slowly over the years — It isn’t a large or valuable collection.  In fact, many of the buttons are quite ordinary, but they are uniquely mine, taken from my wardrobe, and they’ve become a collection of memories as well as a personal style timeline.  I’ve also used some of the buttons for arts and crafts projects, and they’ve often come in handy for button replacement.

“Le bouton est non seulement indispensable, mais capable d’enjoliver un vêtement, de le personnaliser et de lui apporter la touche finale.” *— Herbert de Givenchy, Introduction to Boutons by Loïc Allio (2001)  *The button is not only indispensable, but capable of beautifying a piece of clothing, of personalizing it and giving it the final touch. (Translation by Caroline Baumann, Director of Cooper Hewitt Museum)

Buttons have been placed on clothing as ornamentation for thousands of years, and crafted in a variety of ways by artisans and artists or manufactured in low and high-tech factories from every imaginable material, making these small objects significant in fields of decorative arts and design, fashion, visual art, and arts and crafts as well as archeology and materials technology.

Beautiful and Fascinating!  Long admired for the artistry as well as historical value, button collecting began centuries ago and is still a popular hobby today.  The photo gallery below includes just a few examples from extraordinary button collections.

 

 

See More Glass Buttons (1700–1951, American or European) from the Hanna S. Kohn Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
→ Gallery 1
→ Gallery 2
→ Gallery 3

See More Wood Buttons (1900-20, American or European) from the Hanna S. Kohn Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
→ Gallery 4

The Cooper Hewitt button collection is amazing, and available to view online → HERE

Inspired Button Art – “I hold the button to my ear and it whispers to me, “I want to be…..” Augusto Esquivel creates sculptures from buttons, and he shares his work and creative process → Augusto Mucho Gusto website

Button Jacket by Kenneth D. King

Kenneth D. King created this stunning jacket using some of the 75 pounds of antique uniform buttons he inherited. [Pinterest pin “Using Buttons As Embellishment” by Threads Magazine]

 

 

 

 

   

Information/Resources:
Button Society Websites & Contacts – List of button society websites and contacts by country and US states
Button, Button, We’ve Got the Button(s)! by Margery Masinter (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Buttons: In the Collection of the Cooper Hewitt Museum by Carl Christian Dauterman (The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Design, 1982)
Hammond-Turner & Sons – Button Galleries – an online museum displaying buttons manufactured by Hammond Turner & Sons (and related companies), button makers of Birmingham (and Manchester), England.  Created by Lesley Close, a descendant of one of the owners of the company.
The Waterbury Button Museum – More than 3,000 buttons are on permanent display in the Button Gallery of the Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Connecticut
Déboutonner la mode (Unbutton Fashion), Les Arts Décoratifs exhibit presentation
Boutons, Decorative Arts Museum (Les Arts Décoratifs), Paris, France
Lucie Rie: Ceramics & Buttons Exhibit (22 June 2018 – 12 May 2019, Centre of Ceramic Art at York Art Gallery, UK
European Fashion Project – Buttons, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Keep Homestead Museum – Button Collection, Monson, Massachusetts – The vast collection is exhibited on a rotating basis, but on permanent display is a wonderful collection of mosaic buttons.

 

Button Button: Identification and Price Guide* is a well-organized guide recommended by the Button Society as a book that every button collector and dealer should own.

 

 

 

Buttons: The Collector’s Guide to Selecting, Restoring, and Enjoying New and Vintage Buttons* shows and describes fabric, metal, glass, ceramic, enamel, plastic, and uniform buttons along with the history of buttons.

 

 

 

Buttons by Diana Epstein and Millicent Safro* looks at the authors’ collections of buttons, describing their history and value as art.

 

 

 

 

Creating art with buttons is a fun arts and crafts project.
ⓒ Button Art by Zola Zeester

FREE To WATCH: Collector Confessions – A diverse group of engaging collectors tell their stories about lifelong passions for objects. [Videos on Demand]

 

 

 

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Feature photo “My Button Collection” © Zeester Media LLC, 2015-18

How to Beat the Funk

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If you are feeling down in the dumps or just need a good laugh, watch a few of the short videos in this fun, free-to watch On2In2™ video collection of dogs being dogs and their inspiring stories of love and joy.    

In 80 unique photographs of dogs captured in meditative, serene moments of ‘Zen’, photographer Alex Cearns celebrates the wisdom, beauty and power of dogs.  Zen Dogs is a book for every dog lover and anyone looking for a little of that doggy peace, love and joy.  *Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

 

If you're wondering what your dog is thinking, you should listen to this dog as he reveals thoughts and feelings about life and love.If only we knew what our dogs were thinking!  Martin, a dog with some issues, tells his story in “Dog Speak”, providing a few clues to the mystery of what dogs know and think.  And, a lot of laughs, too.

 

 

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Feature photo (dog on the road) courtesy of Freestocks/Pexels CC0

If Stars Could Speak

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Awake by Zach Rogers is a short video beautifully photographed and produced using a time-lapse process that results in mesmerizing views of star filled skies above stunning landscapes.  It was a 3 year “passion project” involving the selection of 6,870 photos from a collection of 50,000.

“A philosopher once asked, ‘Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?’ Pointless, really…..  Do the stars gaze back? Now, that’s a question.” — Neil Gaiman, Stardust (1999)

Experiencing a night sky teeming with glittering stars awakens curiosity, perspective and inspiration, and is a recreational activity enjoyed by amateur astronomers throughout the world.  The opportunity to see such a sight, however, is getting more difficult as dark skies are vanishing from the glaring effects of light pollution.  In fact, more than 99% of people living in North America and Europe see light polluted night skies rather than stars, and the Milky Way is hidden from more than 1/3 of the world’s population. The International Dark-Sky Association (“IDA”) works to protect night skies and ecosystems within parks and conservation areas around the world.  Find dark skies for your best stargazing experience via the IDA locator map HERE, and look around for Telescopes and Stargazing Guide Book * to learn more and get started.

The short video Lost in Light by night sky photographer, Sriram Murali, dramatically demonstrates the affects of different levels of light pollution on our view of the night sky.

 

The Witch Head Nebula is a reflection nebula located in the Eridanus constellation.If you can’t get outside—-Watch the Night Skies channel here to see more amazing stargazing views captured on video by talented photographers.

More about stars⇒   Sol Invictus     Super Star Sorcery     Mysteries of a Galaxy

 

 

 

 

 

Watch this how-to seminar on astrophotography techniques and equipment, and take better photos of the night skyPros give advice on how to take great photographs of the night sky in this free-to-watch info-video series → Shooting Stars 

 

 

 

A big, bright full moon over the Santa Monica Mountains from Malibu Road was a moon gazers delight

Have you tried moon gazing?  Humans have revered the Moon for thousands of years, and celebratory customs of moon viewing add a spiritual component to the experience of seeing a big, bright, beautiful moon in the night sky.  Simple, but awesome.

 

 

References/Information:

“Light Pollution Hides Milky Way from 80 Percent of North Americans, Atlas Shows” by Nell GreenfieldBoyce, NPR All Things Considered (June 10, 2016)

Night Sky Network – Search tools to help you find astronomy clubs and special events throughout US

Earth Sky (List of astronomy events, festivals, star parties & workshops)

Ten of the Most Breathtaking Night Skies on Earth by Michelle Douglass, BBC Earth (August 27, 2015) Some the world’s best dark skies are over remote, hard to reach locations, while other sites are astrotourism hotspots encompassing national parks and observatories.

Lassen Volcanic National Park (located approximately 3 hours northeast of Sacramento, California) has meadows freckled with wildflowers, jagged peaks, clear mountain lakes, a rich diversity of plant and animal life as well as numerous volcanoes, steaming fumaroles (steam and volcanic-gas vents) thumping mud pots, and boiling pools.   Stargazing & Astronomy→ park info       Dark Sky Festival

Atacama Desert, Chile 

Pic du Midi – Hautes-Pyrénées, France 

Rakiura National Park, Stewart Island, New Zealand – This ‘Land of Glowing Skies’ was designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in January, 2019

Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve – Mackenzie Region, NZ 

Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona becomes International Dark Sky Park in June 2018

Dark Sky Festival – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California USA

Acadia Night Sky Festival   – Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine USA

Jasper Dark Sky Festival   – Jasper National Park, Jasper, Canada

Night Sky Festival  – Joshua Tree National Park, California USA

Mayo Dark Sky Park  – Newport/Mulranny/Ballycroy, Ireland

Brecon Beacons National Park – South Wales, UK 

Galloway Forest Park – Scotland  

Dark Skies Festival   – North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, UK

Winter Star Party  – Florida Keys, USA, usually scheduled each year during the full moon in February

OzSky Star Safaris  The “Classic” is held at the outskirts of Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia, and the “Spring Edition” takes place at NSW Southern Tablelands

Exmoor Dark Skies Festival – Family stargazing weekend at Exmoor National Park, a large beautiful and peaceful area of wild countryside in the South West of England and Europe’s very first International Dark Sky Reserve

Star Search:  A Night Guide for Urban Texans by Wes Ferguson (Texas Monthly, March 2018) – Where to find dark, wide-open skies or a big telescope for star gazing in the state of Texas

Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival, Canada

Fountain Hills Dark Sky Festival, Arizona

It's easy and fun to join On2In2 social networkWe’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’.  Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

 

 

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The feature photo is a still shot taken from the video, “Awake” by Zach Rogers

The title of this article “If Stars Could Speak” comes from the title of original music by Alexandr Fullin. It was used by Zach Rogers as the soundtrack to the “Awake” video.

*This page includes an affiliate link to a shop website. If you purchase a product or service directly through the link, Zeester Media LLC may earn a small commission.  This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Kīlauea

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“During a volcanic eruption, we are reminded that our planet is an ever-changing environment whose basic processes are beyond human control. As much as we have altered the face of the Earth to suit our needs, we can only stand in awe before the power of an eruption.” — US National Park Service

Hawaiian Ridge - Emperor seamount chain consisting of islands, undersea mountains and volcanoes extends across the Pacific Ocean.
Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, NOAA and ESRI® Data & Maps (Public Domain)

The “Hawaiian – Emperor seamount chain” is a vast undersea mountain range interspersed with islands, underwater mountains (seamounts), atolls (ring shaped coral reefs encircling a lagoon), shallows, banks, reefs and more than 80 volcanoes, that extending across the Pacific Ocean for 3,728 miles (60,000 kilometers) from the Hawaiian islands to Alaska and Siberia. The chain has been forming during the last 70 to 80+ million years by volcano eruptions and movement of the ocean floor (the “Pacific Plate”) over a volcanic region known as the “Hawaii hotspot”. Closest to this hotspot is the Hawaiian archipelago (aka Windward islands) that includes eight main islands: Hawaii (aka ‘the Big Island’, the Island of Hawaii & Hawaii Island to distinguish it from the US state of Hawaii), Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe, as well as a number of small islands, atolls, and seamounts, that extend 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the Kure Atoll to the Big Island, the southernmost point of the Hawaiian – Emperor seamount chain.

 

The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean.

 

The formation of the Big Island is the result of sequential and simultaneous eruptions of five ‘shield’ volcanoes (low profile, circular, slopping shield shaped volcanoes) over a period of about 300,000 – 600,000 years, and at 93 miles (150 km) across and a land area of 4,028 sq. miles (10,430 km²), it’s the largest of the Hawaiian islands and still growing because of the lava flow from currently active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kīlauea.

In accordance with beliefs and practices of the traditional Hawaiian religion, summits of the five Big Island volcanoes are revered by native Hawaiians as sacred mountains, and the powerful, passionate Fire Goddess, Pele, is believed to live within the Halema’uma’u crater located at the summit of Kīlauea. Pele’s domain, however, includes all volcanic activity on the Big Island, and she has the ability to cause lava to erupt from the ground at any time.  She’s been a very busy goddess during the last four decades.

 

Simplified map of Kilauea volcano, dated 2000, courtesy of USGS, Public Domain

 

Kilauea volcano is still active on the Island of Hawaii, and NASA-led scientists are studying the effects and hazards.
Kilauea at Night, NASA photo

The Kīlauea Volcano

The name ‘Kīlauea’ is translated to ‘spewing’ or ‘much spreading’, referring to frequent lava flows originating from the volcano. The name is well-deserved as there have been 61 separate eruptions from Kīlauea since 1823, making it one of the most active volcanoes on planet Earth.  Most of these eruptions have been relatively moderate and have occurred within one of its ‘rift zones’ with lava flows moving downslope.  [A rift zone is an area of ruptures on the surface that allows lava to erupt and flow from the flank of a volcano instead of its summit.]  However, fire goddess Pele does periodically create havoc with explosive and sometimes deadly eruptions that expel molten rock and gases across the landscape of the Big Island.     

Kīlauea’s most recent major eruption (dating back to January 3. 1983) is the longest period of volcanic activity in its documented history with lava flowing almost continuously for 35 years from the volcanic cone, Puʻu ʻŌʻō (‘high point on the skyline’) located within Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone.  [Volcanic cones like Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō  are formed by the ejected magma rocks piling up around a vent.]  The catastrophic collapse of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō on April 30, 2018, resulted in the iconic eruption site and surrounding lava flow fields becoming without lava during the rest of 2018.  The absence of surface activity for such a long period of time makes it unlikely that lava activity will resume within Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō;  therefore, scientists have determined the eruption has concluded.  It’s important, however, to remember that Kīlauea remains an active volcano, and hazards have not changed as a new eruption can quickly cause dangerous conditions.   For Kīlauea status updates, check out the  Report from USGS – Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (daily updates and warnings).

 

Video:  Story of Kīlauea Volcano’s summit lava lake, and the eruptive history of Halema‘uma‘u.  Credit:  US Geological Survey

In the video documentary 100 Days: 2018 Kilauea Eruption, photojournalist Andrew Richard Hara chronicles his emotional observations of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

 

Also, see lava flow from Kīlauea up-close in HD.  Two short videos, Dawn of Fire and River of Fire, (filmed and produced by Tyler Hulett) capture flowing molten lava as it moves toward the Pacific Ocean from Puʻu ʻŌʻō during daylight and night.  It’s an incredible sight to see.

 

 

Visiting Kīlauea

“A spectacle, sublime and even appalling, presented itself before us. We stopped and trembled. Astonishment and awe for some moments rendered us mute, and, like statues, we stood fixed to the spot, with our eyes riveted on the abyss below.”  — William Ellis (1794 – 1872), describing his first sight of Kīlauea

The first western visitors to Kīlauea were two missionaries in 1823, William Ellis, an Englishman, and American, Asa Thurston, and after the building of hotels on its rim in the 1840’s, Kīlauea became a tourist attraction.  Today, it’s protected within the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and visited by 2.6 million people annually. The park offers visitors dramatic volcanic landscapes of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, archeological sites, historical places, and a look at rare flora, fauna and wildlife as well as hiking, biking, touring and camping.  Popular stops are the Kilauea Visitor Center and the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum & observation deck.

References/Information Sources:
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park  Find Kīlauea vistor information, including eruption/emission/lava flow updates, hiking & safety tips, photos & video
USGS – Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Kīlauea history, status reports, updates & information
Wikipedia:  Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii (Island), Kīlauea, List of volcanoes in the Hawaiian – Emperor seamount chain, Hawaiian religion, Pele

Scientific Study:  In January 2017, a NASA-led science team began exploring Kīlauea and Mauna Loa from the air, ground and space to better understand volcanic processes and find ways to mitigate the hazards.  

US National Parks:  There are more than 400 US national parks available to everyone, every day.  Most are free to enjoy, and the 117 that charge an entry fee (e.g., Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park) offer fee-free days throughout the year.
Find Your Park  ← Use the search tools on this website to find the perfect place to visit.   

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Feature photo credit:  Puʻu ʻŌʻō, courtesy of GE Ulrich, USGS (Public Domain). [Note: Puʻu ʻŌʻō is a volcanic cone that allows lava flow eruptions from the eastern flank of the Kīlauea summit. It has been erupting since January 3, 1983.]  
Image: Map of Hawaiian Islands, United States Geological Survey, Public Domain
Image: Simplified map of Kīlauea Volcano (2000) by J. Johnson, USGS, Public Domain
Photo:  Kīlauea at Night is courtesy of NASA

Ballet Backstage

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Ballet originated in 15th century Italian Renaissance courts, later developing into a performance dance in France and Russia, and over the centuries, has become a widespread and influential art form with many evolving stylistic variations (from classic to contemporary) and teaching methods (no less than half a dozen).

A ballet dancer [danseuse (female) danseur (male)] is a dancer who practices the art of classical ballet based on traditional technique and vocabulary.  Many years of extensive training (starting as early as age 2) are required before a ballet dancer has a chance to join a professional ballet company, and there is an established hierarchy ranking system within a company as well as strict gender roles.  Ballet training also takes a toll on a dancer’s body, making ballet dancers prone to serious injury after years of continuous physical strain.

The strength and stamina required of ballet dancers are not always obvious to a spectator as they make the physical demands of jumps, turns and lifts on pointe appear to be effortless during a performance, and there’s seldom a mention of a dancer’s personal sacrifice and total commitment.  In these short videos, ballet dancers tell their stories and provide a glimpse of the goings-on backstage and behind-the-scenes.

 

 

En pointe (‘on the tips of their toes’) is classical ballet technique performed wearing special pointe shoes that enable a dancer to support all body weight on a fully extended vertical foot. Consequently, the construction and wearing of pointe shoes involves a very complicated process unique to each ballet dancer.

 

The tutu is a costume dress worn in a ballet performance, made of fabrics such as tarlatan, muslin, silk, tulle, gauze and nylon.  There are two basic types of modern tutus as well as several derivative styles: the Romantic tutu is soft and bell-shaped with the skirt reaching down between a dancer’s knee and ankle;  the Classical tutu is short, stiff and projects horizontally from the dancer’s waist and hip.

 

One of the most famous of all ballet dancers is Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans), a sculpture created in wax by Edgar Degas in 1880 of a student at the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, named Marie van Goethem.  After Degas’ death in 1917, his family authorized copies of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer and other Degas wax and mixed-media sculptures to be cast in bronze in order to preserve and sell the compositions.  Louisine Havemeyer, an Impressionist collector, acquired the first bronze cast of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and bequeathed it to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929, where it can be viewed on display.  [Editors Note:  The original wax sculpture (a reworked version of the original sculpture that was shown in Paris at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition of 1881) is located at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and other bronzes can be viewed at museums around the world — Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of the novel ‘The Painted Girls’, provides a list of locations ⇒ HERE ]

The bronze dancer’s tutu has been replaced a few times since the Met’s acquisition, and a curator recently decided it was time for another update as the skirt looked “tattered and dirty”.  The task was given to Costume Institute’s conservator, Glenn Petersen, and he tells the story of the historical research, fabric, design and color selections used in creating the dancer’s new tutu in the short video ‘Met Degas Tutu’.  Peterson’s goal for the new skirt was that it would be harmonious with the sculpture as well as depict a sense of movement to add to the way people view Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and most would have to agree that he accomplished that goal and more.

 

Watch the great ballet dance performances from around the world LIVE & FREE On2In2™FREE To WATCH:  Ballet performances from around the world

 

 

 

 

 

Watch:  The DanceThe free-to-watch Dance Channel features On2In2™ collection of favorite dance videos, an On2In2™ video collection of dance performances and inspirational stories

 

 

 

 

 

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Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Pilar Castro, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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