Northward March of the Sun

 

   For a while now, after 6:30 AM each morning, I've been watching the Sun's rising from the exact same spot each morning, and I'm noting the differences in its positions and timing.  It's marching toward its most northern point at the June Solstice.  And this reminds me of working my father's farm over half a century ago. 

   Here, I don't have a good view to the East because of buildings (our best sky views are to the West).  But since I've been escorting Mother-in-law out to give morning alms to the monk before 0630, our spot on the corner now has a view of the Sun coming up.  Before this, it was obscured by trees, but for the moment it rises over houses down the soi. 

   When I was doing my father's farm work on June mornings, I would put milking machines on two cows and then pause to look out the stable windows to the East.  I would watch the Sun come up and note exactly where it rose in reference to the fence posts along the line fence.  As the Solstice approached, I marked its daily progress northward on the eastern horizon.  At the Solstice, it paused, for what seemed like two mornings, then it started its daily retreat South.  Blessed memories! 

   Sugar Grove was an astronomical observatory, with relatively clear skies and wide horizons.  Here, I can't even see Orion, although I can see Sirius.  But the Moon shines through the haze, and I've been teaching Tuk to actually see and track the four lunar phases corresponding to the four monthly Buddhist holy days (that she has known all her life). 

   Ramadan has just ended for Muslims with this New Moon, and I'm appreciating more why the Crescent Moon is of such importance to them. 

-Zenwind. 

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Tiger Kitty, RIP

 

  Tiger Kitty, a popular neighborhood outside-dwelling cat only several years old, has died.  Very strong and healthy, reports say she just laid down and passed away.  No known cause, with some speculation that it was a snake bite, as she lived outside and slept in various places. 

  Tiger Kitty was sort of adopted by the family of the beautician/barber living next door, where our alley meets the corner of the soi.  The kitten was quite wild and tended to bite, so they couldn't let her live inside due to their baby.  So, all of the immediate neighborhood fed the little tiger cat – e.g., the motorcycle-taxi guys on the corner and various other locals – and Tuk and I had her neutered and vaccinated. 

  She increasingly came to our gate or climbed down the wall to our courtyard to eat food that Tuk gave her.  She no longer nipped ankles, and she allowed to be petted.  In the early mornings, she would sit close by as I did Tai Chi movements all around her.  Tiger to tiger. 

  She had become a welcome everyday visitor.  But no more. 

-Zenwind. 

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Dragon Moon

 

  Last evening, the thin waxing Crescent Moon, on the third day of this Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dragon), sat low in the West.  Its orange fingernail shape faced straight down at the horizon, like a bright smile. 

  Temperatures and dewpoints have been fluctuating day to day, from relatively comfortable dewpoints to those considered "extremely uncomfortable/ oppressive".  Today is comfortable, but in the next couple of days we will be in the "oppressive" zone again – in other words, back to normal – for a long stretch. 

  On Saturday, we had some rain showers – rather rare for this time of year – and I followed the forecast and was prepared with an umbrella on my long walk.  My Merrell daypack's rain cover is excellent, so the only part of me getting wet was my sandaled feet.  I haven't worn long trousers in years. 

-Zenwind. 

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Mornings

I am still enjoying the mornings waiting for the monk on the corner with Mother-in-law.  The waning Moon phases track the week, and Venus is sinking closer to the Sun each day. 

I am reminded of my childhood on the farm when I hear roosters crowing and smell chickens across the soi, and the rosy pre-dawn skies and easy breezes are like a summer morning. 

On weekdays, the corner is busy, with vendors selling food and folks walking to work at the electric company.  But on weekends it is deserted and quiet, and the security guards next door play some recorded Thai traditional music that I really like:  one stringed instrument with some kind of drum. 

-Zenwind. 

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