I watched the moon rise near home for almost a week before May’s full moon and lunar eclipse to get an idea where it would crest on the horizon. Looked good for a rocky outcrop of the Bradshaw Mountains in the middle ground. And then there were clouds.
Five nights before the full Flower moon and lunar eclipse, I sat outside before sunset, 70° with clouds floating overhead and the waxing moon peeking through.
A cottontail watched me from nearby.
The sky turned from gray to gold before a glorious goodnight.
The next day, heavy wind kept me inside working at the computer all day. It felt cool and the nights low dropped below 40°. No, it didn’t snow. But the electricity went out for several hours and I didn’t even notice until opening the electric fridge for lunch. Everything else in my RV home works fine with propane and batteries. Thankfully power was restored before going to bed and I even ran a little heat.
I wanted to get an early start in the morning for chores starting with the dump then Prescott for shopping and maybe laundry. The later didn’t happen as the tiny parking lot was too full to accommodate my big rig. Not my favorite chore anyway and I still have clean clothes. Have you ever discovered a new to you place that’s been there forever in an area you shop regularly? When I go to Prescott I usually stay on the west side of town, it’s a huge town of 45 square miles with a population of 43,460 as of 2020. And it continues to grow in all directions. In fact, I think the sleepy ranch community of Skull Valley has become a bedroom community of Prescott. Anyway, when I got to town hungry for breakfast I discovered a Dennys in the same parking lot as the Wallys I’ve shopped at for at least 15 years. And guess what, it’s been there at least that long. I don’t eat out often, or at this restaurant frequently, but I do like their breakfast.
Exchanged a mini-shop vac for a Dirt Devil upright that’s suppose to pick up pet hair. Ha, ha. No vacuum with a revolving brush isn’t going to become immoveable once wrapped with my hair and long cat fur. I should know better. Otherwise, it works well.
Best buy of the day, a tie-dye looking camp chair. A friend says they won’t be able to find me sitting in it because this ole hippie likes tie-dye clothing. Ran into a Yarnell friend and we chatted in the aisle for almost an hour. Maybe I should get out more.
Western Tanager probably migrating through
Naw, I’d rather stay home and watch the outdoor world.
After a day of shopping I stayed home. Yet there’s plenty of activity as the daytime temperatures rise into the high 80s and the various lizards provide entertainment scurrying about. I’m getting to know them by name, Fred, Ann, Wendy… The side-blotched lizards put on the most colorful show in a rainbow of colors. This shot is highly cropped and taken through a window. It’s a regular hanging out on the metate decorating my yard. Good thing I can be so easily amused at home because with the rising cost of fuel, especially the diesel I need, I won’t be going very far anytime soon.
The ranch even provides open and dark sky views to watch the moon and lunar eclipse, if there are no clouds.
With the next day’s high pushing 90° outside, which means almost 100° in the RV, I took advantage of the cool morning to work inside on the computer. I find myself spending way more time with editing video thrown into the mix of processing still photos and writing blog posts. I enjoy it. I’m trying not to run the noisy and expensive AC but have fans moving the air around. I just don’t like AC but if I’m here for the summer will have to get used to it. I’ve been trying to change my sleeping pattern by going to bed an hour earlier and gain the chill time in the morning. Fortunately, with a late afternoon breeze and shade I can sit outside in my new chair reading and once again watching the world. I learned that from Raven.
Later, I moved around just a bit playing with the moon, knowing there would still be plenty of light for hand-held shooting with an iconic clear blue Arizona sky.
The next morning started off cool inside but warmed quickly and by 8:30 all windows and the door were open. Then closed again just before noon when I turned on the AC and continued to work on the video 5th-wheel tour.
May 15th, opening day for the North Rim Grand Canyon I felt a little homesick. Sure hope I can make it up there at some point this summer. Heck, if the temperatures here climb over 100° I may move in the truckcamper to the 8000’ Kaibab National Forest and become a hermit there. I can move every 14 days with amazing views along the rim.
I did manage to get outside in the afternoon and watched the clouds dance and flow. Something I love, but not on the evening of a full moon and lunar eclipse.
A little privacy please
What’s up doc?
As I stood on the berm in my yard watching the sunset I saw a coyote and jackrabbit giving me the eye.
Sadly, low clouds on the horizon blocked the first rise as the moon entered the Earth’s shadow.
Then it rose above the clouds close to totality giving a glimpse of the dim red known as a Blood moon and lunar eclipse. So fortunate to see this much before clouds covered the whole show. That’s as far as I saw until a late-night glow filled the 5th-wheel as I went to bed.
Of course the next day I had lots of photos to process with the help of my assistant. So I once again stayed inside and turned on the AC in the afternoon. I’m not getting outside to walk enough. A dear friend suggested I change my morning pattern more than just up an hour earlier.
So the next day I set the alarm for 6:30am, dressed, grabbed the camera and a bottle of water, and out the door I went for a walk on the ranch. Walked the eastern fence line, made a left and started to climb a hill along the northern fence but too much brush, so turned around. I walked sauntered about 3/4 mile in an hour taking pictures along the way.
Startled lots of bunnies, saw Blackie with another cow, and listened to the birds.
Not a lot of wildlife but did see a lot of track and scat. Then back for coffee at about the time I’d normally wake up. And I did it again the following day, taking and making a video. Will I walk every morning like that? Probably not. I’m not that disciplined. But with summer days getting warmer I will keep trying to get up earlier, and some mornings get out and walk.
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Sometimes posting a week behind is confusing, writing in the past tense, double that with video which is more NOW.
I’m already tired of staying home and feeling itchy feet but high fuel prices is like having severe blisters so can’t go anywhere. Heck I’d think about returning to work at high elevation, but I really don’t have time. Besides it’s more fun to make a video exploring with a friend.
The next full moon and lunar eclipse visible in Arizona occurs November 8, 2022. I’m thinking about a meetup in the desert. How about you?
I’m hoping to leave Friday. But honestly, sitting home today in front of a heater, watching pouring rain and enlarging puddles with a forecast predicting cloudy skies for Sunday, makes it difficult to get excited about this idea to go anywhere but home to shoot the moon.