Pragmatist
Pragmatist

Aurora Borealis
Thu Oct 30 2003

I was hoping. The paper gave it a big write up. I've been out three times looking. Even got in the car and tried to find a dark spot where I might catch sight.

Maybe Sacramento isn't quite far enough north. But the paper said we should see them.

All I've seen so far are some clouds, lit up by the city lights. And the smell of smoke.

Never say die, say I. I'll go out and look again before I go to bed.

I remember seeing the borealis was I was a mere sprout. I have no idea how old I was at the time, but I do remember being in the rumble seat of a car and being cold. Hey! anyone remember rumble seats? Anyway...this was in Idaho, and saw these eerie lights in the sky. I didn't know the word eerie at the time, but I was, I remember, fascinated by those wavy lights in the sky.

I don't know who was in the car, maybe Aunt Estella and Uncle Dick. But I do remember that the driver stopped the car by the side of the road and we watched those gossamer streams rising up and spreading across the sky, weaving and dancing, and changing color. One of the adults explained to me that we were watching the Northern Lights. Northern Lights? Pure awe!

Maybe somebody explained to me what the lights were, maybe not, but I do know now that it was unusual to see the lights that far south. So now the daily paper is saying that we should see them here in Sacramento, a good deal south of Idaho.

Maybe Trauma Mama is out now looking at the sky lights. She may be even a little farther north than I was when I first saw those strange dancing lights.

So I'll read a couple more diaries, then go out and look again. Did ANYone see them?

Shalom

7 Comments
  • From:
    CovertOps (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    Dear Chaya,
    What a thrill it would be if you got to see aurora borealis in Sacramento! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I will probably never get to see any, so I really appreciate reading yours.
    Here's a poem I have stored in my computer. I like collecting poetry. This is a lovely one that mentions the Northern Lights and the magic it works on their relationship.
    Love,
    E.L.


    THE SUMMONS
    by Robert Francis

    Keep me from going to sleep too soon
    Or if I go to sleep too soon
    Come wake me up.
    Come any hour of night.
    Come whistling up the road
    Stamp on the porch.
    Bang on the door.
    Make me get out of bed
    And let you in and light a light.
    Tell me the Northern Lights are on
    And make me look.

    Or tell me
    Clouds are doing something to the moon
    That they never did before
    And show me.
    See that I see.
    Talk to me till I?m half as wide awake as you
    And start to dress wondering
    Why I ever went to bed at all.
    Tell me the walking is superb.
    Not only tell me but persuade me.

    You know
    I?m not too hard persuaded.
  • From:
    Sezrah (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    i would love to see the northern lights someday

    sez
  • From:
    Kelpie (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    Hi Chaya :)
    I really hope you were able to see the Northern Lights, which is something I would love to see one day. Froggy wrote in her Diary that she was watching them too. We get the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, Downunder and I did see them when I was a little girl in Adelaide in the 1950's, just so beautiful!
    Take care, (((hugs))) and 'bye for now, Kelpie.
  • From:
    Becoming (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    Froggy saw them. I meant to look but instead I slept soundly through the night. I suppose that's a good thing, but I miss my middle of the night reading and writing here. Strange to want to be an insomniac! I suppose it's a sign of good health to sleep through the night.

    I did see the most gorgeous sunset last evening, the sky lit up as though on fire. It made me think of Southern California, and it was aa very emotional experience. I always feel closest to God when experiencing the wonder of Nature.
  • From:
    TraumaMama (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    I haven't seen them either, but then it has been very cloudy. I will be checking the next few nights as it promises to be clear (and very cold) My husband spent part of his childhood in Alaska and remembers how awesome they were.
    (I'm getting very nervous about coming down for my tests. I waver between pure panic and utter confidence.)
  • From:
    Ozone (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Oct 30 2003
    I remember rumble seats.

    I heard that they were seeing the aurora borealis, or as we used to call them, the northern lights, as far south as Dallas, Texas. Maybe you will get lucky. All I am getting here is computer interference.
  • From:
    MagicWhiskey (Legacy)
    On:
    Fri Oct 31 2003
    Aurora, what a pretty name.