Hubs and I took the day off. For people that are fascinated with the heavens and pretty much the glory of all things in nature, well it only seemed "natural". Our original plans had us heading to Hermann, MO to enjoy the view on the side of a hill in a vineyard, with a few thousand of our closest friends.
We have our blankets ready, extra wine, snacks to pack and wait a minute... did we really see 30 mile long traffic in Oregon. What is with all of these RV's we've been spotting around town?
Plan change. Back to the store to pick up different lunch food. A bottle of single barrel. And sky check from the back deck.
Yep, we are going to be sitting on our own deck, in our comfy chairs, with our jack and cokes and our crazy cool eclipse glasses. From the comfort of our own back yard we will have full view of the entire eclipse.
Okay so in Hermann it is going to last for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Here in our little corner of the world it is 1 minute and 51 seconds. When you weigh the difference of our peaceful backyard, with crowds in the thousands... well for us that is a no brainer. Not to mention the sheer volume of traffic and parking issues. No thanks. Car can stay parked and we can enjoy without being overwhelmed by the crowds.
It's easy to feel the excitement that is buzzing around. The thrill of being able to see it first hand. It's also easy to imagine the shock and fear it must have produced in days gone by.
I mean can you imagine if we didn't have so much technology surrounding us? Can you imagine the terror that must have been felt by the farmers in the fields and the school children outside at lunch? A minute or two seems like such a brief snippet of time. But if your world has gone black, when it should be bright, that would seem like an eternity.
Now we have people spending thousands of dollars to chase the eclipse on plane high above our heads. RV's and hotels all along the path of totality. The sheer insanity of it all. I am sure it would have overwhelmed our ancestors to no end.
Hubs was sharing with me this morning that he'd heard on television that hotels are cancelling reservations made months ago, in an attempt to get their hands on the big money people are willing to shell out to be a part of this event. I have to admit, it made me sick. I'm glad I haven't turned on the news, I feel it would anger me and I want to preserve this incredible, restful feeling. I want to savor this day. I don't want greed and selfishness to intrude. I want to enjoy the gift. Who knows if I will still be here in 7 years, tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.
I keep reading to keep your animals inside, maybe I am too simplistic, but... Do animals truly grasp an eclipse? Are all of the wild animals going to be seeking shelter or staring helplessly into the blinding light. As it is I've never witnessed my boys staring at the sun. A blade of grass, definitely, but the sun, never.
Now I will keep them inside only because I want to enjoy the beauty and splendor of the moment without worrying if they are freaking out due to the change. I will say they are both acting pretty normal right now, so if they can sense it in the atmosphere they sure aren't letting me in on the secret.
I'm looking forward to this early afternoon celestial display. Me, Hubs and the 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse. Where will you be?
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