Everyone's worried about people driving while viewing, using wrong glasses, forgetting they've got headlights (!). Township lawyers covering Plainsboro's finest.
Library-provided official viewing glasses, see the seal of approval. Or hippo of approval.
Verdict: nice, glad I had glasses, sun went to a tiny sliver, but it didn't get very dark. It lasted about half an hour. I took a picture of the only foliage around, and caught some tiny pale crescents, eclipse shadows. They're tiny, on top of leaf shadows, bottom right, and a few others, once you get your eye in
It was a nice time, sitting on the deck, drinking tea and studying the sun now and then to see the progress. It was moving but not upsetting like the last time, when I was in a big crowd.
This time, waving at neighbors all watching and doing things with pieces of card, was a friendly time. Happy to see the sun back after late afternoon clouds obscured some of the action.
Current reading on Kindle
Fast read, set in the seventies onward, a friendship between teenage girls becoming life long. I don't know much more yet, but it strikes me as good beach (in my case, deck) reading.
Morning pinloom weaving yielded the much improved piece on the right. Seen l to r
Blue piece, made on pins stuck in cardboard to see if I liked doing it, then first try on real pinloom, wobbly little effort, then ta-da, today's much improved version. This has promise.
As you see, it's a learned skill. After you know the principle, your fingers have to learn the execution.
And I thought you'd like to see how it just lifts off the loom, no finishing required. Then you get busy warping again.
The morning walk yielded blossom
And carpets of violets underfoot
And I followed a tapping sound and found a Northern flicker busy excavating for a nest. You might catch her here. She matches the tree pretty well, so you might need to just take my word on it. Again.
Now I know where to watch for nesting and maybe hatching. It's right above the hollow log where I find the best fungi.
A minute later she'd flown and I saw the mate, maybe coming to do his share
Happy day, lovely sunshine here. Most of the time, that is.
Sounds like you had a very pleasant day, full of nature and celestial shenanigans.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how many neighbors were out. Working from home, I suppose. It was a very nice day.
DeleteThe eclipse was quite an event in the US, and why not. You saw a bit of it, nice. I'd forgotten about the card to view eclipses. Your walk looks nice with still bare branched birches and the flowering monkey puzzle cherry or plum blossom tree.
ReplyDeleteOh I think it's a flowering plum, lovely tree. I'd forgotten about the pieces of card for viewing, till my son mentioned he had them ready.
DeleteBlossom and violets everywhere here, too. You enjoyed the eclipse, along with your neighbours.
ReplyDeleteI can see how the pin loom weaving becomes a fascination - and listening to a book at the same time makes it even better.
The little looms should come with a warning. Make one square, you can't stop!
DeleteYour weaving moves on apace. I guess you could sew (or work somehow) those squares together to make anything at all really. Could you do triangular shaped pieces or would that require a set of pins on the diagonal across the loom?
ReplyDeleteIt's possible to weave triangles by inserting a fine knitting needle across, to act as a selvage. I'm told. Haven't tried it. The squares are fun right now, to get my skills up to continue wire work. But they can make various things eventually.
DeleteGlad you had a peaceful eclipse. I like the way your progress in the weaving is so noticeable. Good motivation to keep on with it.
ReplyDeleteFunny how your redbuds and violets look so much like ours, just a month or so later.
You must relive your seasons when they get here. The yarn weaving is good practice for the more difficult work with wire
DeleteI am glad we didn’t seek a crowd for eclipse watching but it was a lovely shared experience with a small group. We had a clear day, which is rare this time of year.
ReplyDeleteYes, we had a clear day, after about a month, maybe years, of drenching rain. Great timing.
DeleteI do see the crescent shapes amid your leafy foliage shadows!
ReplyDeleteYay! Handsome Son, who was working and missed most of it, can't see them, gah.
DeleteI got to view the eclipse in real time from 3 locations across the US from California to Colorado to North Carolina as my siblings posted photos on whatsapp. Not even partial here.
ReplyDeleteThat's the next best thing! You probably saw more than most of us.
DeleteThe eclipse was a great community gathering. Folks everywhere, drones, and motorized hang glider things here.
ReplyDeleteI
That's pretty high tech!
DeleteI am shamed that everyone is posting about the eclipse but I am not. Maybe I should remedy that tomorrow -- a day late, the story of my life.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that everyone's talking about it is a good reason not to, if you want
DeleteOh happy day. No eclipse experience for me unfortunately. That second effort on the pinloom is exceptional.
ReplyDeleteSoon everyone will blessedly stop talking eclipse! The learning curve is quite good on the wee weavings.
DeleteI'm sure we had a better view of the eclipse on the news than we would have had we been outside looking at it. Wonder what the news and weather reporters will find to harp on now (beyond the usual doom and gloom that is).
ReplyDeleteYes, you'd be seeing pictures from high tech equipment.
DeleteI’m glad you saw the eclipse. I saw a total eclipse at the age of ten. I still remember it. How dark it got. How scary it was. I was only ten. How the birds all went silent and it felt like the whole world held it breath. And then a sliver of light and the relief that the sun was coming back.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't get very dark, but there was still relief when the sun emerged.
DeleteWe had a lovely afternoon for an eclipse.
ReplyDeletethe tiny crescent shapes in the foliage shadow are so cute- it took me a while to suss out where to look. Found them! I love the wee weavings as well- Mouse blankets?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you could see the crescents. I hadn't thought of mouse blankets but why not?
DeleteNow I need to buy a pinloom!!
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like it. And there's no room setup required.
DeleteOh I love violets. So fragile and yet so tough.
ReplyDeleteYes, deceptive little things. So cheering when they appear.
Delete