Night Watch

We've been so blessed with stunning – and visible – Northern Lights this year, plus many gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. So I was hoping for the trifecta with comet viewing. Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, also known as comet A3, is allegedly visible across the U.S. tonight through Oct. 24. 

I must have missed the best viewing opportunity while I was at choir practice because the only Comet I found was under the kitchen sink. Oh c'mon. Someone appreciate my attempt at pun humor!!

I did see an unusual moon though. My camera picked up a ring of light around it. Cool.

But then when I zoomed in, there was nothing unusual about it. Oh well. I still enjoy watching the night sky for the beauty – and the unusual.

If I remember tomorrow, I might see if I can time my viewing to the suggested "just after sunset" time. 

Did any of you see A3? Would love to see what you captured!  📸

It's Almost Hermit Season

It's a good thing it's still light out at 5:30 p.m. or might have skipped our monthly Girls Night Out dinner. We're getting close to that time of year when it takes a lot to get me to leave the house when I get home from work. Especially if it's dark.

And super especially if it's cold.

And that cold is here! Tonight is going to be the coldest night in months. Ugh. My heated mattress pad is cranked to HIGH and I'm ready to dive under the covers. 

But am grateful I did leave the house and meet the "girls" at Whoudini's. It's always nice to visit and catch up. And the food wasn't bad either. I could not believe how busy they were for a Tuesday night. I must be getting old. I forgot that bars have dart night and pool night and all that kid stuff on school nights! 

I really am old. And cold.

I'm hoping to hold off on turning into a hermit too soon. Gotta make it through the time change anyway.

Bundle up and hang in there, everyone!

Rose-Colored Fall Glasses

Ladies, you can identify with this. How come when we come out of church and shop in a grocery store while we're looking our finest... we never run into people we know? But when my hair's pulled back and I'm in sweats or T-shirt, I run into all kinds of people?! 

It's Ladies' Murphy's Law.

Tonight I was excited that after I had my hair appointment with just a roots touch-up but prize-winning hair style, I was lucky enough to run into a friend on the way out of the salon and one at the gas station. I just said, "Tell your friends I had great hair!"

And I'm sure I did.

But then, after running a few errands on my way home in HOPES of running into someone I knew, I encountered some unusual fall colors. The sunset was awesome, but my destination to the east was showing incredible and unique "October is Pink Month" colors.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say "rose-colored glasses" were a real thing. I detoured into the parking lot of a golf course and got these shots...

Facing the sunset in the west to start with..

And now facing east!

So amazing! All I know it it's a reminder to Think Pink and support those with breast cancer – or any type of cancer – this month and always. Thank you!

Flying Season

It so cold, windy, and rainy today, it felt like the scene from a scary Halloween movie. Though, with gas prices inching back up, I feel like I could have had good gas mileage if I'd ridden a broom to church.

I know we need the rain. But combined with chill and wind, it was not a day to be out and about. In other words, I had to postpone a senior photo shoot. No one wants to be out in a "real feel 39 degrees" kind of day and actually smile.

So we spent the day indoors. I whipped up some cheese stuffed tortellini chili in the crockpot and did some cleaning. Vikings were on bye so I had a much more productive Sunday than usual. Even got a call from our baby so day was made!

I know it's not even 9 o'clock but it's dark and my side of the bed is fully heated and waiting for me. I might have to dive into my Halloween romance book (it's a thing, I think) called Hex and the City. I'll let you know if it's worth the ride, er read!

Hang onto your hat – and broomstick – and be careful out there!

Pretty ... as in Pretty Cold

It was a pretty day to go golfing. But it was pretty cold. Like very cold. Like all of us were wearing long pants and jackets cold.

My friend Christine and I (and her niece and boyfriend) were a foursome for the Big Cup tournament at TriCity.

And by Big Cups, I mean we could putt all four of our balls into the hole. If we were that good. Ha.

Thankfully, it was a scramble and we had fun. Somehow managed to stay warm enough and beat the rain by 5 minutes. I guess it was more of a sprinkle. But we were glad to be done. Pretty sure we didn't win any prizes with our over-par score. But that's fine, too. I can go a day without winning something!

Tonight I labeled the last of my raffle baskets and did some hooking, er crocheting, while watching a Hallmark movie. A fall one, not Christmas. I gotta clear my DVR before I get onto the red-and-green Northern Lights-inspired ones!

But even without the brilliant colors, Mother Nature continues to impress and inspire me.

Hope you found something positive today, too!

Lucky Are We

Feeling fortunate as we end the week. A full but good Thursday and Friday.

After work, our Marketing Department got to have a little gathering at SentryWorld to celebrate 100% by our team in the recent United Way campaign. It looked like a gorgeous fall day to be out golfing. Unfortunately, the course is closed for the season. And double-unfortunately, I didn't have my clubs in the car anyway.

I was lucky, though, when it came to door prizes. Keeping my winning streak alive and got my name drawn. I picked out a little travel fan since I need "white noise" in order to sleep and I have a big trip coming up.

From there, I headed to Assumption High School for the volleyball "Pink Out" night to raise money for a 9-year-old boy named Braxton. He inspired us all to meet diversity head on and still smile.

Since the Volley for a Cause covered any type of cancer, I put my friend Jeannie's name on one ribbon (Praying for you, girl!!).

And my cousin Jeff's name on another. He just died of cancer and was laid to rest in northern Minnesota today. 

There was a lot of support and a great crowd. And opportunities to "donate" through bake sale purchases and raffle baskets.

Guess who won another basket? Yup, this lucky girl! Another one I can take up to the benefit.

And to cap off our luck, we got to see the glorious Northern Lights again from our front yard. It went from pink and green to definite red and green tones. Guessing it's a sign I should watch some Hallmark Christmas movies this weekend!

Today, I was lucky to have a half day off. Mainly because this tree outside my office window was coming down – not sure why other than it's ugly – and there was going to be a lot of noise.

Here is the tree removal tree-oh figuring out the lift situation.

Good neighbor Mike went up the lift since he is the best chain-sawer. And apparently isn't afraid of heights.

Notice he is safely strapped into the bucket.

Just too high for me!

Jim and other helper would pile up limbs as they fell. They had a good system so that no one got hurt.

I was concerned at this stage though. I came outside and hoped they measured correctly so the final trunk wouldn't fall and hit hubby.

Timber!!

Whew! Lucky! Why would I doubt them?! Thanks for all the help and hard work, guys! Glad I could celebrate with an hour-long deep-tissue massage this afternoon. Hey, it was previously planned before I knew anything about sweating lumberjacks in the front yard.

This eveing, we headed to the Homecoming football game. We lost by a ton to Auburndale. But there was a great halftime show with all the bands and even choir members leading grade school kids in some ribbon dancing to Jimmy Buffet's Cheeseburger in Paradise. Fun.

Hoping our luck continues as we head into Saturday with a cross country meet and, you guessed it, a golf scramble! I'll keep you posted.

Have fun this weekend and appreciate your good fortune!

Happy Last Quarter

As we slide into the fourth quarter of 2024, I found this social media post today both interesting and inspiring. Maybe there was something you wanted to accomplish this year but you didn't get around to it or just weren't motivated to do it.

It's not too late.

There are 84 days left. That's 84 opportunities for you to try something new, change direction with something old, or just be grateful for what you have and where you're at.

84 days can feel like a lifetime – if you're laid up in a hospital somewhere fighting for your life. 84 days is an even shorter time span than my sister Rachel was in the hospital after her serious car accident. I sometimes forget how much she missed in her 91 days of "residency" in the second quarter of 2024.

She was thrilled the other night when I sent a picture of the Northern Lights from our front yard, that she could get outside and also see them from her yard up in Luck. While everyone from here to Texas saw the pretty greens and pinks early this summer, she was still recovering and missed it. I forgot about that.

But God didn't. He definitely was proving there are still things she can see, enjoy, and do in this final quarter of the year.

So take advantage of 84 days of new beginnings, of opportunities to show gratitude and be kind, and create a few more moments that matter. 

I'm on your side!