August 8, 2005
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[ED. NOTE: This item derived from an email chat with a friend, about a STARGAZING link I had sent out. His response about the sea -- included at the beginning of the piece -- inspired me to share a lighthearted mini-saga from my past.]
<<<<<<<<<>-o-O-o-<>>>>>>>>> STARGAZING and
OTHER OUTDOOR
ADVENTURES
================"...for watching the night sky, it is best done from a boat at sea, far from any city lights. When we are anchored out in the Bahamas, we really enjoy lying on deck, just looking around the fabulous sky. That is beautiful, and thought-provoking."
~ Curtis Tanberg
<<<<<<<<<>-o-O-o-<>>>>>>>>> Ah so...but I can match you "Ooh!" for "Aah!" with my own equally perfect stargazing venue:
It's where I lived in my mobile home in Agua Dulce -- a good 90-or-more miles north by northeast, of downtown Los Angeles -- 1,200 feet above sea level (where it snowed briefly every 3-4 years!), in the foothills to the Antelope Valley.
It was a view of the evening heavens just as glorious, as your own mid-oceanic nightscape! I loved it! I was blessed to enjoy that wonder for 17.5 straight years (July '77 - Dec. '94).
Gosh, even the air smelled different out there, and I filled my soul with ALL the special sights, sounds and smells of rural living; including the huge variety of really weird, never-before-seen bugs, and (LOL) a rascally family of raccoons.
Each year, a mother and her pack of 3-4 cubs, loved to make frequent fun-trips of frolicking in their very own private amusement park...my space.
They would scamper and gallumph, up and down the 62-foot length of my metallic mobile home roof (they adored the racket it made).
Chattering away at each other, they chased back and forth from the roof to the trees, and then down to the dry pond-bed "cave", playing both underneath and atop it's weathered plankboard "roof" --- and repeating this circuit several times --- all of it right by the window, under which stood...my bed.
Characters!!!
Of course they always did all this at just about midnight or later --- when I was nicely asleep (I slept much better in those days)!
P Usually, I would either open the bedroom window or go outside and stand under the roof of the open-walled porch, to watch them.
When I spoke to them (It is my custom to converse with animals), they would often rear up to stand on their hind legs, and then freeze in place, staring back at me. Cute, but a wee bit spooky!
Apropos of nothing, I discovered (in my dictionary) that raccoons are carnivores. Previously, I did not know this.
Eeee-ewww!
That's even more spooky -- and for me -- also a bit yucky!
P I'm aware my reaction is irrational, in light of the many other flesh-eating mammals (both large and small) who cause me no squeamishness.
It's just that I always thought them herbivorous; and it's difficult for me to envision those cute little furballs devouring a [live?] wee field mouse, or some other such teensy critter.
Well...I'll get over it!
P I could tell of more "nature" adventures I had out there in the So-Cal countryside; but I will save those tales for another virtual session around the cyber-campfire.
Later dear 'Gator! :o)
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The Original Earthmom ™
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