The Moon -- Where it Always Is

As the oddest of days, weeks, and months perplex and confuse, it is calming to see an early August moon peak over the mountains.

The trusty cell phone that seems my constant companion takes acceptable results and gives me the false sense that I have figured out how to take night time photos.  I haven't.  This was luck and the only one with minimal blur and that interesting reflected fence provided by the neighbors security light.

Earlier that day the excitement came from finding someones parakeet feeding with sparrows. 

 The little buffet on the ground is provided for the quail and dove that visit our backyard at least once a day. But they have not presented any young.  I've assumed they were meals for the feral cats and several hawks that hunt relentlessly in our neighborhood. A  Cooper's Hawk grabbed a squawking young sparrow when I was standing nearby, so I know they aren't shy about my presence.  

Little parakeet did not return this morning so its fate is left to the imagination.  I will imagine that it went home.

The little red bucket is also a mystery.  I suspect it was found hidden in the shrubbery when hubby was cleaning out the horrible mess left by the tree removal service.

Above the little scene is open sky that up until last week was hidden by two silver maple trees that were guessed to be at least 125 years old.  Although they were rooted in our neighbor's yard, they were shared by all four houses that were shaded by their towering girth.  As was the apprehension of a windstorm bringing one down with horrific damage or loss of life.

(A cell phone photo from early spring.) 

Oh! How they pestered us with spring's release of whirlywhig seeds.  Last year I quit counting after raking up 35 gallons.  Just in our yard.

Then would come the autumn hours of gathering the unbelievable mountains of leaves.  Sometimes I would pray for a great wind to drop all the fall colors at once to end our suffering.  My heart drums guilty beats of those moments of resentment.

They are gone.  Heartbreak only softened by open sky with a new view of the mountains.  Plus, too much sunshine on our morning coffee on the patio.   

At the same time  a contractor has begun working on the property across the street that was owned by our late neighbor.  Three more houses are projected in the spot where his hobbies of woodworking and gardening and loving his dog anchored our close knit piece of the world.

Losing a neighbor of over 42 years exacted grief for which we were not prepared.  I still find myself checking out the kitchen window for his dog,  Or stepping out our front door to see if his 95 year old legs had carried him out to his favorite porch chair. 

These are the changes that living brings to all.  But this year has exasperated an entire world.

At least the moon was where it should be when the calendar flipped to August.