Night skies are one of the best reasons to live in the country.  A riot of stars.  While I’ve loved living in large metropolises the light pollution hides the sky and everything remains a dark, dull grey.  Not here.

The long, slender crescent moon was low in the sky when I left home last night.  Just over an hour later, I was back from yoga, the moon had sunk behind the tree line and was gone.  The night was inky black, swallowing any light from cars or the occasional street lamp.  The velvety blackness completely enveloped my car as I drove.  Any animals ready to dart into my path would be completely invisible until the last second.  Their eyes lighting up like torches in the oncoming lights.

I got home without meeting any of these creatures up close and personal, something that I’m grateful for.  I’ve been surprised by a few deer and raccoon, Dave saw an elk lazily cross the road last week, and there have been a couple of cougar sightings in the local area.  A reminder that we aren’t the only ones living in our wilderness; but that is what makes it “wild.”

I stepped out of the car into the Milky Way.  Stars eddied across the sky and through the trees.  I tipped my face up to their light like I’ve done to the sun on a first warm day in spring.  While the sun warms from the outside in, stars do the reverse.  They fill me with joy that soaks from the inside out.  I want to simply lie down in my driveway and stare.  If I knew where our sleeping bags were I’d grab them, Dave and a bottle of wine to watch at the stars all night long.

But it isn’t the weekend.  Dave waits inside, hopefully having had an easy time helping our toddler son to fall asleep, likely trying to finalize his lecture for tomorrow.  Fingers crossed that bed time was successful.  Chocolate cake (an unfortunately healthy version) waits inside too.  Life is good.

Early evening moon to the left of the tall pines.