It was a weekend full of lunar happenings for us, beginning not Sunday evening with the rest of the Western Hemisphere, but Saturday with a local Lunar Festival. Three years running, Bud's kung fu team has performed at a celebration of the harvest moon. Thankfully, unlike last year when rain interrupted the proceedings just as Bud was to go on, it was a beautiful day for the festival. And the performance went off without a hitch. Bud did his hand form and his broad sword, along with a dozen or more of his teammates. So proud of him! We grabbed lunch from our favorite Thai place and headed home.
On Sunday evening, we prepped to watch the supermoon lunar eclipse. There are lots of articles about the uniqueness of this one: supermoon closer to the earth than usual, full Harvest moon, etc, the confluence of which won't be seen again til 2033. From 8 pm to a little after 10 pm, we stayed in the yard and watched the moon darken from left to right, turning red as it did so. Mama got some photos. The kids played ninja and then parachute, while checking on the moon's progress. We sang songs (moon songs, "Rainbow Connection,") and laughed at stories. We even saw a skunk wander across the driveway! The only thing we didn't have were s'mores and a campfire. But it was a fun break from our usual routine, even if everyone was over-tired this morning.
I wonder what the kids will remember of this night, if anything, when they're 28?
Showing posts with label moon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moon. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2015
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Mooning
There's nothing like lying in the grass of your own backyard looking up at the rising Harvest Moon and all the stars and singing with your kids, while also dispelling worries about werewolves. Which, by the way, all live in England, with Harry Potter.
Sis even spotted the Rabbit in the moon, the Chinese version of the Man in the Moon.
Sis even spotted the Rabbit in the moon, the Chinese version of the Man in the Moon.
And Bud and I danced while I sang "Blue Moon" and Sis half-mooned me. Right out of Grease.
Perfect.
(Of course, I also managed a short lecture on some of the history of nighttime a la the book I'm reading by Ekirch, At Day's Close, especially about how it's called the Harvest Moon because farmers would stay up all night working by the light of it to get the crops in. Also info about how people used to be more attuned to moon phases for navigation on land and sea. We even managed to read a tiny bit in the moonlight. To be fair, the kids then lectured me about different kinds of stars!)
(Of course, I also managed a short lecture on some of the history of nighttime a la the book I'm reading by Ekirch, At Day's Close, especially about how it's called the Harvest Moon because farmers would stay up all night working by the light of it to get the crops in. Also info about how people used to be more attuned to moon phases for navigation on land and sea. We even managed to read a tiny bit in the moonlight. To be fair, the kids then lectured me about different kinds of stars!)
-=-=-=-=-
Amazing how many songs about the Moon I can recall (I know several about the Sun, too):
Under the full moonlight, we dance
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!
Sister Moon, Sister Moon
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go bye
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go bye
I see the Moon,
the Moon sees me,
I smile at the moon,
And she smiles at me.
The man in the moon,
Looked out of the moon
Looked out of the moon and said,
“It’s time for all the children on earth
To think about getting to bed!”
Looked out of the moon
Looked out of the moon and said,
“It’s time for all the children on earth
To think about getting to bed!”
And the one I sang to the kids a lot, Laurie Berkner's "Moon, Moon, Moon":
Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick! Turn it on!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick! Turn it on!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a pizza pie
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a pizza pie
Moon moon moon, shining bright
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Moon moon moon, my nightlight
(Chick!)
Moon moon moon, I can see
Moon moon moon, you’re taking care of me
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a lemon pie
Look up, it’s the moon
Look up it’s the moon up in the sky
It’s big and round and I have found
That it looks just like a lemon pie
Plus "Blue Moon," "Moon River," "Bad Moon Rising," Blue Moon of Kentucky," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "Can't Fight the Moonlight," "Aikendrum," "Claire du Lune," Moonlight Sonata, and, of course, "Arthur's Theme" ("If you get caught between the moon and New York City . . . " (See here and here--this one from NASA!--for many more.)
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Under the (Almost) Full Moonlight
"Under the full moonlight, we dance
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!"
There was enough time and daylight after dinner for the kiddos to continue their playing outside, where they'd been in the hour leading up to dinner already. Despite the increasing nip in the air, they wouldn't stop to put on long pants.
About 30 minutes later, Sis came running in the house, "Mom, there are BEANS on the plants!" And she led me outside to see. Sure enough, there were some beans on our much-ignored pole bean plants. We also saw that the kale is finally growing, after repeat visits from the local wildlife (which begs the unvoiced question, "Where did the wildlife go?"
Once outside, I was invited to witness several performances--kung fu dances with found sticks as swords, acrobatics on the swings and rings and bar, and some odd slide maneuvers whereby they crawled up backwards, on their stomachs, in something called "the slug."
When they noticed the (almost) full moon rising, they began to dance and sing around the backyard, making up moon songs (one to the tune of "Over the Rainbow"); I sang the lyrics above, myself. Above their shouts and calls, I could just make out the song of the cicada. But they were too wild for reverie. And probably too young.
We stayed out until I saw the first star, before the moon topped the treetops. I love fall evenings.
Spirits dance; we dance.
Joining hands, we dance.
Joining souls, rejoice!"
There was enough time and daylight after dinner for the kiddos to continue their playing outside, where they'd been in the hour leading up to dinner already. Despite the increasing nip in the air, they wouldn't stop to put on long pants.
About 30 minutes later, Sis came running in the house, "Mom, there are BEANS on the plants!" And she led me outside to see. Sure enough, there were some beans on our much-ignored pole bean plants. We also saw that the kale is finally growing, after repeat visits from the local wildlife (which begs the unvoiced question, "Where did the wildlife go?"
Once outside, I was invited to witness several performances--kung fu dances with found sticks as swords, acrobatics on the swings and rings and bar, and some odd slide maneuvers whereby they crawled up backwards, on their stomachs, in something called "the slug."
When they noticed the (almost) full moon rising, they began to dance and sing around the backyard, making up moon songs (one to the tune of "Over the Rainbow"); I sang the lyrics above, myself. Above their shouts and calls, I could just make out the song of the cicada. But they were too wild for reverie. And probably too young.
We stayed out until I saw the first star, before the moon topped the treetops. I love fall evenings.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Sun and Moon
There seems to be an astronomical theme to our conversations today.
This morning, while watching--can you guess?--"Ni Hao, Kai-Lan," DD (oh, goodness was it DS? Sometimes I forget) remarked that "Mr. Sun" on the tv was Kai-Lan's sun, which was not the same as the sun in Barney's song, "Mr Golden Sun." Nor was it the same as our plain sun. This seemed perplexing.
The moon only added to the problem. DS spotted the moon as we left our playgroup today (mmmm, such yummy food--recipes follow). Immediately, there were requests for our moon songs--"I See the Moon," which is my family's staple; "Moon, Moon, Moon" by Laurie Berkner; and the very appropriate one we learned at the library:
Sister Moon, Sister Moon
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go by.
Then DD ran off looking for the sun in the opposite direction (not realizing that it was hazy and the sun was hiding to her left).
Eventually we got in the car, napped, and came home. I suggested we look for the moon at our house. But oh, no, this was not right--the moon, I was told (mercy, I forgot by whom again), was at Miss B's house, not ours. Apparently, our moon only comes out at night.
-=-=-=-=
Aunt Mary's Chicken
chicken breasts
cream of mushroom soup
milk
Swiss cheese
Pepperidge Farm stuffing
butter
I think its like a bunch of boiled chicken breasts cubed enough to fill the bottom of the rectangle dish. Then a can of cream of mushroom soup with a half a can of milk mixed together, poured over top. Then a package of Swiss cheese layed over top. Then a package of Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (the herb kind) with some melted butter sprinkled on top. Bake @ 350 for like 35- 45 min until its lightly browned on top and bubbly on the sides.
Miss B
Mushroom Asparagus Quiche
1-8 oz tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, and rubbed sage
Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9" pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforation. Spread with mustard; set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion, and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust.
Bake at 375 F for 2-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Miss E via Taste of Home
Oatmeal Scotchies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened (used 3/4 cup vegan "butter" sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange (used the vanilla)
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) butterscotch chips
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
PAN COOKIE VARIATION: GREASE 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.
Nestle Butterscotch Chips bag (I brought these in pan cookie form)
This morning, while watching--can you guess?--"Ni Hao, Kai-Lan," DD (oh, goodness was it DS? Sometimes I forget) remarked that "Mr. Sun" on the tv was Kai-Lan's sun, which was not the same as the sun in Barney's song, "Mr Golden Sun." Nor was it the same as our plain sun. This seemed perplexing.
The moon only added to the problem. DS spotted the moon as we left our playgroup today (mmmm, such yummy food--recipes follow). Immediately, there were requests for our moon songs--"I See the Moon," which is my family's staple; "Moon, Moon, Moon" by Laurie Berkner; and the very appropriate one we learned at the library:
Sister Moon, Sister Moon
You're out too soon
The sun is high in the sky
Go back to bed
Cover up your head
And wait for the day to go bye-bye-bye
Wait for the day to go by.
Then DD ran off looking for the sun in the opposite direction (not realizing that it was hazy and the sun was hiding to her left).
Eventually we got in the car, napped, and came home. I suggested we look for the moon at our house. But oh, no, this was not right--the moon, I was told (mercy, I forgot by whom again), was at Miss B's house, not ours. Apparently, our moon only comes out at night.
-=-=-=-=
Aunt Mary's Chicken
chicken breasts
cream of mushroom soup
milk
Swiss cheese
Pepperidge Farm stuffing
butter
I think its like a bunch of boiled chicken breasts cubed enough to fill the bottom of the rectangle dish. Then a can of cream of mushroom soup with a half a can of milk mixed together, poured over top. Then a package of Swiss cheese layed over top. Then a package of Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (the herb kind) with some melted butter sprinkled on top. Bake @ 350 for like 35- 45 min until its lightly browned on top and bubbly on the sides.
Miss B
Mushroom Asparagus Quiche
1-8 oz tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, and rubbed sage
Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in an ungreased 9" pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforation. Spread with mustard; set aside.
In a large skillet, saute the asparagus, onion, and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp-tender. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture. Pour into crust.
Bake at 375 F for 2-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Miss E via Taste of Home
Oatmeal Scotchies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened (used 3/4 cup vegan "butter" sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or grated peel of 1 orange (used the vanilla)
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) butterscotch chips
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9 to 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
PAN COOKIE VARIATION: GREASE 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.
Nestle Butterscotch Chips bag (I brought these in pan cookie form)
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