Good Night, Moon

We got a call tonight from our friend Dorian who was heading home from the grocery store with two hungry kids during the dinner hour...brave and hearty soul that she is.. reminding us about tonight's lunar eclipse. I'd been looking forward to observing it AFTER the kids were asleep, preferably with some warm fleece and red wine, but I also realized that this was a marvelous opportunity for celestial encounter, astronomy/astrology and outdoor science fun. Plus, I just COULD NOT play one more round of Animal Farm with my kids. I love their imaginations, but really, there are only so many times in one day that a grown woman can quack, oink, moo etc. while having lego pieces thrown at her that are supposed to be bacon, chocolate chip cookies or blueberries. It's like bad performance art at the preschool playhouse.

There truly is no better sound than a ringing phone or dinging timer at those moments.

"Quick! Grab your jackets and help me find the moon!"

I've never seen these guys so perplexed in their lives; quacking like little ducks and racing around the living room as if the wolf was after them and their lives depended on finding a coat and shoes before Mommy regained her sanity and sent them to brush their teeth instead of go outside. In the dark. At night. This was just too much! Fun!

This is how we rolled...

Turnaround, Every now then I know you'll always be the only boy who
wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, Every now and then I know there's no one in the universe as
magical and wonderous as you
Turnaround, Every now and then I know there's nothing any better and there's
nothing that I just wouldn't do
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Total Eclipse of the Heart

Sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity for an '80's power ballad using a lunar eclipse as metaphor. Now, let's compose ourselves, shall we? and get on with the blog...

Unfortunately, the trees were blocking our view from our house, so into the rennievan we went and drove to a clearing over the water. It was beautiful, hypnotic, and primal to watch the moon disappear in front of our eyes. There were others out watching it too, and we couldn't help but think of what early societies must have thought during these experiences, and how surreal it must have been to see it without any CNN coverage or internet lead.

What did the budding astronomers think?

"Helicopter!"
"Dog!"
"Airplane!"

Max wanted to know if the moon was going to come back before dinner tomorrow night.

And Sammy, for the first time, said "Moooon. Mooooon. Moooon." It was kind of a Helen Keller/Annie Sullivan moment, being out in the cold night air, pointing at the moon that was disappearing and wondering just what the hell was going through their minds and if they are getting any of this (you try explaining earth's shadow to a not-yet-four year old who wants to know which side of the atmosphere the sky is on).

We hung out for about half an hour and then went home. And this is what happened:

Good night stars. Good night air. Good night noises everywhere.

- Margaret Wise Brown

Do we really have to wait another three years for a night like this again?