The long road to our ancestral home...

[wildwose]

So after watching the Persieds last night from our sky balcony, a disturbing thought has come to mind. Science has recently shown that modern humans suffer from a number of vitamin deficiencies due our evolution being under very different circumstances than much of recorded history. Like Vitamin D. Many humans are mildly deficient because we spent

Comments

[kittydesade]

And this is why I cling to the family farm, and it's acres, and the fact that out there in the mountains there is still no sign of encroaching development. Resorts be damned.

[wanderingbastet]

There was a night not long after my husband and I moved out to somewhat-rural western MD when I stopped and spent probably a good ten minutes standing on our driveway in the freezing cold just staring up in awe at the night sky. Even the difference between our area and back near the Beltway was just amazing.

Another wonderful night-sky-related memory: back when I was in college, I took a solo cross-country road trip that included a night at Wild Horse Butte State Park in Utah. I was the only person at the campground in the middle of nowhere - so remote that the park ranger rode up on her horse in early evening to make sure I was okay, given that the closest "civilization" was about 30 miles away and she was about to head home. That night, as my fire was dying down, I stripped down to my birthday suit and just danced by myself under the stars for the sheer joy of doing so, and the fact that I could.

Good memories. Thanks for the post, and for helping me remember them. I needed a smile today. :)

[wilhelmina_d]

That is a fantastic memory! I have never been outside where I could be assured of not being seen by another human being. It must be amazing!

Also, your icon is made of win!

[wanderingbastet]

Thanks! And yeah, it was pretty liberating. :)

When we were looking for our new house, one of our requirements was "located somewhere we could, if we wanted to, dance naked around a bonfire and not piss off neighbors or authorities." We didn't *quite* get there (we still have neighbors within view, at least in the wintertime), but we're fairly close.

[fegie]

Man, am i ever acquainted with light pollution. Where we live, it's so difficult to see the stars unless they're really bright (like Sirius, & Orion's stars). The last time i can remember seeing a sky so chock full of stars was when i was much younger & an aunt & uncle still lived together up in Pennsylvania, in the country. We saw a shooting star & my aunt & i went, "AH!" & scared my brother so that he whined about it. Around here, though, i'm glad if i can kind of see any stars. The best is when it's a freezing cold night, because the cold makes everything so clear, & the few stars that can be seen are so bright & sharp it's like they're singing.

A little off topic, perhaps, but did you see the bright full moon at the beginning of the month? I was at Ocean City with my family, & i went to the beach & saw the moon over the ocean. There were some stars there, too, but that night the moon really owned the sky; it was so bright that the moonlight was casting shadows.

[larasgirl]

Wonderful post. So true.

Unfortunately, we live in the big city (Jacksonville, FL) and I don't think I have ever seen the milky way like in those pictures. It's one of my biggest frustrations. During a meteor shower one night a few years ago, I loaded the family into the car and drove around and around searching for a dark place to view the sky. Finally, I got so frustrated we ended up driving home unsuccessful, realizing it was impossible.

Just once I hope to one day be able to share the awe of our little piece of the universe with my children.

[mistrsfluff]

thank you shane :)