Tag Archives: light pollution

Family/Friends

Friday Fun

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Michelle as artMichelle arrived on Thursday. Yeah!

There’s just nothing like spending time with a friend of 30 years. It’s been pretty much non-stop giggling, intermingled with some tears and a lot of oohing and aaahing over the beauty of the northwest.   Here are some highlights from Friday.

We toured Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and explored the lovely grounds.   Michelle found herself moved by some of the local art and attempted to become one with the art. How do you think she did?

Michelle loves hydrangeasShe also fondled any hydrangea shrub in her path.   She mentioned she wished she’d named Erica Hydrangea, and I suggested she begin calling her that right away. Maybe it will stick as her new name.

As we wandered the grounds, we were serenaded by John Legend’s band – they were warming up for the concert being held at the winery that night.   We also observed an interesting fashion trend, which I’m hoping Michelle will blog about soon.

My 5 dollar bouquet
We spent a little time at the Farmers Market at Country Village, where I picked up another fabulous $5 bouquet of fresh flowers.

We enjoyed some good Chinese food at the Zen Garden restaurant in Mill Creek.

Then returned home, hung up my cool orange lights, lit a few candles and spent a couple of hours on the patio listening to 70’s music, reminiscing, laughing, crying and sharing a bottle of 2007 Muscat Canelli we picked up from the winery.   

Of course, the spent the first 30 minutes  setting up the tripod and posing in attempt to capture the mood of the evening….  LOL…

Enjoying a lovely evening on the patio

All in all, a fabulous day. So glad you’re here Michelle!

In the Garden, Soapbox, Whatever

Blessed night

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Bad, evil lightEvery night I take a little stroll through my little garden, listening to the crickets, frogs and bubbling fountain. Keeping an eye out for slime trails so I can dispose of the giant slugs that invade my plants, and curse the obnoxiously bright “safety light” on the back of the building that illuminates the rock wall and my garden with an unnatural peach colored glow. Safety, schmafety. It’s nearly as bright as day in the areas where it shines. I hate light pollution – and it seems to follow me wherever I go. I like night to feel like night!

“Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.” -Verlyn Klinkenborg, “Our Vanishing Night,” National Geographic magazine, November 2008

The horrible light was off for the first year and a half I lived here – and then, all of a sudden there it was. No amount of objecting or begging moved the property manager to turn it off.. Since then I’ve been plotting ways I could destroy it, but it’s simply been out of my reach. if I had access to a 15 foot ladder I’d have climbed up and pulled out the bulb long ago. I’ve also been petitioning the condo manager to turn it off…. going so far as to get signatures from other residents in my building that they wouldn’t object to it being dark out there.

I love a dark night!Well. as I opened the door to take my nightly stroll this evening I was greeting by the most wonderful sight. DARKNESS. It’s so dark that I can barely see anything but the stars! I’m so happy I could cry.

Next week I’m going to hang up my orange twinkle lights on my patio – which I haven’t used for almost two years (useless with that bright light shining). So drop by and sit out on my patio with me at night… it’s going to be great!

And keep your fingers crossed that the darkness is permanent!

How do you feel about the lighting in your area?