Whip

The sun was just coming over the horizon while the dog and I were on our morning constitutional.  We stopped to watch sunrise.  Since it was clear to the east we turned our backs to the rising sun and watched it's effect on the landscape to the west.   The light first hit the top of the ski hill and gradually worked it's way down.  All year those hills are different tints of blue - except in the autumn where the trees give it a mottled look of orange, yellow, and rust.  The sun's light traveling through so much extra atmosphere accentuated the red hues so the colors were even more vivid.  The crows in the woods who get together to talk pre-sunrise dispersed flying off in all directions.  Could even see the shadow of my buildings projected against the forest trees.  Tonight the sun, the dog, and I did the same in reverse.  The dog and I were on the deck when I realized the swamp (which is situated easterly) was in shadow but the ridge of the hills beyond were still in full sunlight.  We watched as the shadows rose up from the swamp eventually flowing over the ridge.  As the sun settled further down the shadow of the earth kept rising into the sky until there was a band of dark blue just above the ridge, then a band of pink, and above it the bright blue of the sky.  That band of pink is called 'the Belt of Venus' and it's caused by the sun's rays shining sideways through the Earth's atmosphere.  By the time the dog and I went on our final constitutional the stars were popping out.   As we walked along I could pick out constellations.   Taking the time to engage with reality gives you a big picture mentality.