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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