Springtime and Moons

The first day of spring here in the northern hemisphere was last Saturday. We are having our typical springtime weather, so I didn't dare walk too far Saturday or Sunday because of the intermittent rain showers marching through our town. Yesterday was more of the same, but I decided to take my chances so grabbed the trusty walking umbrella that served so well when I was trekking the Himalayas a couple years ago and set off.

 

If interested you can read about the trek to Everest Base Camp in posts to this blog in May and June 2018. Here's a link to the first part of that trek:  https://hrodenbergersblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2018-05-20T01:36:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=15&by-date=false

In order to find that link I had to scroll back through several posts and got sidetracked looking at the old photos. Reminiscing is fun, but back to today. Thought I would need the umbrella right away because of a light drizzle, but it soon stopped and the umbrella stayed wrapped despite the ominous clouds that glowered at times. 

Out walking there were signs of spring everywhere. The blackberry brambles were sprouting new leaves and the Scotch broom was eagerly opening early flowers.

Wild currant was blooming profusely, much to the delight of the hummingbirds.

Salmonberry flowers showing their colors and also feeding hummingbirds. 

There were several boisterous clumps of Oregon Grape flowers but I didn't see any hummers around them. Maybe they aren't yet open enough.

Edmonds features corner gardens at the ends of downtown blocks. They don't take up much room, serve to enforce the corner "no parking" areas, and give some welcome beauty to drab concrete corners. Although they are maintained by city workers, they are supported by citizens paying a fee for a small sponsorship sign in each garden. The sign usually memorializes relatives or other significant people.

In honor of the advent of spring, I replaced my 2' x 3' winter flag with the 3' x 5' flag that flies from our balcony during warmer weather. 

What about the moons, you ask. Well, this spring we are privileged to have three "super" full Moons in a row. Next month we have the Pink Full Moon on the 27th. "Super" because it will be only 222,212 miles away from Earth. Next comes the super Flower Moon on May 26th at 222,117 miles away. The super Strawberry Moon on June 24th barely sneaks into the "super" category at 224,662 Miles. 

It seems as if super Moons have been around since I was young, but that's not the case. Astronomer Richard Nolle came up with the idea of super Moons in 1979. He decided that any Moon, full or new, would be "super" if it were at least 90% of the way to the perigee (closest point to Earth) of its orbit. That point translates to about 224,791 miles from Earth to Moon. Incidentally, such distances are measured center to center of the bodies concerned. 

Or, maybe we'll have only two super Moons. It seems there is no official definition of such a Moon, so different authorities use different standards. I'm using the original Nolle definition, but Sky and Telescope uses 223,000 miles, and Timeanddate.com uses 360,000 kilometers (223,694 miles). According to these two, the Strawberry Moon in June doesn't quite make it. Maybe someday there will be an official distance. Meanwhile, I'll just admire the super Moons, no matter how they are measured.

There are also super new Moons. Of course, we can't see those so I won't spend time on them. I say we can't see them but occasionally a new Moon, even though we can't see it, will give us a solar eclipse. That's a good example of a syzygy, when three or more bodies are lined up in a gravitational system. It isn't often I get to use that funny word, so had to take advantage of the opportunity. ;-)

In addition to super Moons, there are Blue Moons, which I'm sure you all know as either two full Moons in a month or four full Moons in an astronomical season, i.e., the three months between a solstice and equinox or vice versa. Then there is the Black Moon, which sometimes happens in February when there is no full Moon at all, or when there are two new Moons in the same month or Astronomical Season.

So there you have it. I need to stop before I become a lunatic or go loony, or get moonstruck.

One more item of interest. Here on the West Coast, we'll be able to see a lunar eclipse of the June Strawberry Moon. That is if the clouds stay away. 

Blog Entry Follow Ups

 It seems I learn something new every day. Actually, I guess that's a good thing.

Today's walk covered some of the same route as that of the "Strange Weather" entry of a couple days ago. As I neared the spot where I took the photo of the unidentified bush that was first in my previous blog entry, I saw there was a wetlands restoration volunteer taking cuttings off that same bush. In response to my question, he told me it was an "Indian Plum" and that he was taking cuttings to make new starts for other restoration projects. 

Here's a partial description from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Fact Sheet:

Osoberry is a frequently used common name while Oregon plum, Indian peach, and bird cherry are also synonyms. Often the first deciduous native shrub to flower in late winter, Indian plum is an important early season nectar source for hummingbirds, moths and butterflies, native bees and other pollinator species. Indian plum is popular for Pacific Northwest restoration projects due to its ease of propagation, rapid growth, and wide tolerances for various shade and moisture regimes. The fibrous roots resist erosion. Clones that root more readily can be employed in restoration projects as live stakes or as rooted cuttings. With adequate sunlight, it bears numerous late winter/early spring flowers from a young age but root sprouting may limit its landscape use to larger settings. Various small mammals plus foxes, coyotes, deer, bears, and many bird species consume the ‘plums’ and disperse the seed. For livestock, this species is considered unpalatable. Indian plum fruit is edible for humans but is often bitter, even when fully ripe. Native Americans ate the fruit fresh, dried, or cooked. The bark was used as a tuberculosis remedy and a mild laxative. Strips of bark were used to bind harpoon tips. 

Farther along I saw another rose in bloom with many buds. In the first photo, I was experimenting with the "selective focus" setting on my smartphone camera. The photo below is of the same rose with the regular settings. 

Here's a photo of the Rosemary hedge I mentioned in the previous entry. It's difficult to see in this photo but the upper part of the hedge is covered in blooms.

In the entry made on 12/21/20 I was discussing the various forms of twilight and the various speeds of the Earth's rotation, depending of location between the pole and equator. It entered my mind that, because of centrifugal force, we should weigh less at the equator than at the poles. 

The NASA website confirmed that suspicion, although the difference isn't much. If you weighed 100 pounds at the pole, at the equator you would weigh 5.5 ounces less due to centrifugal force. 

The effective acceleration of gravity at the poles is 980.665 cm/sec/sec while at the equator it is 3.39 cm/sec/sec less due to the centrifugal force. If you weighed 100 pounds at the north pole on a spring scale, at the equator you would weigh 99.65 pounds, or 5.5 ounces less. (gfsc.nasa.gov)

I also should make clear that when I said you aren't moving at the pole, that referred only to the speed of rotation of the Earth, not the various other speeds that we are part of. We are traveling around the sun at about 67,000 mph. The sun (and the rest of our solar system) is traveling 514,000 mph around our galactic center. Our Milky Way Galaxy is traveling at about 1.3 million mph. 

It's a little difficult to answer the question, "How fast am I traveling while sitting watching TV in my living room?" I'd start with the Galactic speed, but that would be accurate only when our solar system was either in the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock position in relation to the galactic direction of travel. If our sun were at the 3 o'clock position, we'd need to subtract 514,000 mph from the 1.3 million, and if the sun were in the 9 o'clock position we would need to add that same 514,000 mph.  We would need to make the same calculations regarding the Earth's speed (67,000 mph) and position around the sun. 

Then there is the unanswered question of whether, besides expanding, our universe is traveling (and how fast) in relation to possible other universes or whatever might exist external to our universe.

Sort of mind boggling, isn't it. 

Strange Weather

 So far this winter, we haven't had a killing frost here in Edmonds, at least in the lower part of the Edmonds Bowl where we live. My weather monitor reported only one night when the temperature dropped to a little under 32° F. There were several other mornings when there was frost on the ground but the temp never dropped to 32. 

Friday, and again today I took some photos while walking. Walked yesterday too but I was carrying ceiling tiles for the VFW so no time for photos. In any case, even though it's not yet the middle of winter by the calendar, thought you might like to see some winter flowers and early signs of the coming spring.

I'm not sure what kind of bushes these are but their sap is running and buds are swelling. These were beside the nature walk around the north side of the Edmonds Marsh where I frequently walk in the peaceful atmosphere, a little removed from the traffic on Edmonds Way.

Roses is someone's garden, doing quite well in the middle of winter.

The Oregon Grape flower stalks are already forming.

Fuchsias in a planter box on a north-facing deck. They are a little leggy but have been blooming since summer.

The weather has tricked this azalea into blooming early. Typically they bloom in February or March around here, but the warmer temperatures this winter have encouraged them to bloom now.

Some Alder tassels are swelling. Most Alder trees are still dormant but around the marsh I see some tassels growing.

Here's a nice white single camellia. It's a popular flower around here because it blooms almost all winter. Unfortunately our rain makes the flowers rust but when new buds open to sunny weather they are beautiful.

Vinca Minor is common in the understory in many gardens and wooded areas.

Snapdragons aren't supposed to be blooming this time of year but here are a couple braving cold nights to bring color to this garden.

This is the time for rosemary to bloom. I see lots of them and they bloom around now if planted in a garden. There is even one large hedge of rosemary on one of my walks. I grow a rosemary plant near my front door where it can get a little sun. Since it's in a container it doesn't bloom until the fall but it gives me fresh rosemary whenever I want it.

Another beautiful camellia flower.

Heather is another plant that normally blooms in the winter. This one is not unusual.

Hellebores are also common around Edmonds. In fact, I have a couple on my deck. Their flowers aren't as bountiful as these but they aren't doing bad for container plants facing north.

A shy double camellia flower showing the world its intricate design. 

I think this is Alyssum having a flowering good time. 

On the way back home today walking down a nearby alley, I couldn't resist taking a photo of this old gate. Don't know about you, but it struck a chord with me. Some rot here and there, covered with moss, slowed by foot-tangling plants, but still standing and enjoying the great outdoors and this year's strange winter weather. 

Edmonds Senior Center

Sunday afternoon the weather cleared so I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and more particularly, to visit the Edmonds Senior Center, now renamed the Edmonds Waterfront Center. In a previous post, I mentioned that I would show you the new building. It was supposed to be open by now so off I went.

Along the way I kept an eye out for any winter-blooming flowers that might have the courage to bloom this time of year. Sure enough, there were several hardy flowers showing their colors.

A rhododendron, perhaps confused by our warmer marine climate, was showing a few blossoms.

One of our local businesses displays pansies year round. I see other beds of pansies elsewhere on my walks. It seems that even when there is freezing weather, the pansies survive to raise their showy heads again when it warms.

I didn't recognize this bush so tried to find it on the internet. It stumped Google too. Maybe one of you experts could attach a comment telling us what it is?

Found these beautiful roses growing in the protected area on the south side of a building not far from the Waterfront Center. There were a few roses in bloom in the city-maintained flower beds along Sunset Avenue, but they are exposed to the north wind so weren't doing so good. 

The fence was still up around the new Waterfront Center so I had to shoot through the fence in the top photo and you'll just have to ignore it in the bottom photo. 

The building sits on some choice real estate. From where I took this photo, the fishing pier is on the right about a block away and the ferry terminal is behind me, also about a block away. The seagull perched on the roof is looking out over the beach and salt water.

Heading back through the residential neighborhood, I came across this fuschia.

This camelia was doing good, but with the rainy weather we've had lately, I think it won't last long.

As I walked around the nearby park, I saw these nice holly berries. Not flowers, of course, but the bright green shiny leaves and contrasting red berries caught my attention.

Again, these are not flowers, but "flowering kale" is a another source of wayside beauty during the winter.

I watch these flowers bloom all winter long, at least in winters past. I think they are a variety of zinnia, but any of you flower experts feel free to post a correction.

Came across these snowberries alongside the trail around the marsh. After the colors of the flowers, I was impressed by the stark gray and brown foliage contrasting with the white berries.

I'm sorry I couldn't do a proper introduction to the Waterfront Center. Perhaps a sunny day will coincide with some free time and I'll try again after the fence is gone.

Dark Winter Days

After I have a cup of coffee and read the morning paper, I do my morning exercises and yoga. I do the routine using a Wii balance board and my personal routine selected from the Wii software. I bought the Wii setup about eleven years ago and have used it off and on since. For the past seven months I've been doing it faithfully almost every morning. 

The routine consists of ten yoga poses and eight exercises followed by a dozen pushups. The routine is committed to memory so instead of watching the TV screen, I observe the morning scene from the living room windows. 

From these north-facing windows I see what real estate agents call a territorial view. There are two partially vacant lots in the foreground with apartment and condominium buildings beyond. There are several trees and in the middle distance stands a telephone pole that a seagull uses as a lookout and resting spot. I can tell which way the wind blows by watching the seagull land into the wind. If there is little or no wind, it seems to land facing the sun.

This time of year it's usually dark when I do my exercises. A week ago I finished the paper and coffee early and started exercising a little after six. Noticed that we had a clear sky and watched as the day arrived. It was interesting to see the transition from dark to light so thought I'd take photos during the next clear day so I could share the brightening sky with you. 

The next day reverted to our normal winter weather.  I've been hoping for a clear morning but it's been clouds and rain since. This morning, a few hours after the winter equinox, I decided to take photos despite the low clouds and rain.

This was taken at 0659. To the naked eye it was dark with some ambient light from security lights and streetlights, but the camera optimizes what light there is to get the best photo possible without specialized lenses, etc. The branches in the foreground are lighted by the living room lights behind me.

Now we move to 0714. The sky is a little lighter but the trees are still in silhouette and the ground is dark. 

At 0725 the clouds are brighter, the trees are still in silhouette and the fields are still mostly hidden. Above the low apartment building with the two lighted windows on the left side of the photo we see two poles. The pole on the left has crossbars and wires while the one on the right is a bare pole where the seagull likes to land to survey the scene. Those poles are only a block away even though it looks farther. About this time the hummingbirds begin their visits to my feeder. 

At 0735 the trees have shifted to three dimensions, the sky is brighter and we can make out a little color, even though the shaded windows of the apartment still shine with light. The hummingbirds have been busy and now the seagulls and crows are flying. Beginning about now I see occasional pairs of ducks and small flocks of geese flying to the east.

Now it's 0747 and the day is arriving. The lights in the apartment windows are still visible but soon will fade away in the brightening day. About now this morning I saw a rabbit running from my side of the field and scamper into the briar patch in the bottom left. In the spring and summer we watch the rabbits feeding on the green grass and playing in the longer grass to the right of the blackberry thicket. We haven't seen one since late September, so this was a special morning despite the rain. Last spring and summer, on three occasions I saw a coyote in this field so the rabbits have to be careful or they will be a quick breakfast.

Now it's five minutes after official sunrise (0759) and the glow of the apartment windows is gone. 

This photo was taken shortly after the one above, also at 0759. The rain is dripping off my storm flag and there are flood warnings for the local rivers. Typical winter weather for us.

Full daylight, such as it is, arrived around 0825. The light that shines on my flag during the night is controlled by a photocell and turns off when there is enough light to trigger the photocell. On a clear day the light would have gone off shortly before sunrise, but today it was half hour after sunrise before it got bright enough.

Watching night turn to day had me wondering about the relative speed of that change in various places on earth. When I lived in Panama, the twilight periods were quite different. Now I live in Edmonds, Washington at approximately 47.8 degrees North latitude. Today being the shortest day of the year, we have only 8 hours and 25 minutes of daylight. The other 16 hours and 35 minutes are the three kinds of twilight and night. 

Today astronomical twilight (center of sun between 18-12 degrees below horizon) when we can't yet see the horizon and most stars are still visible, lasted from 0602 until 0639. Nautical twilight (center of sun 12-6 degrees below horizon) when the horizon is visible and some stars are still visible lasted from 0639-0719. Civil twilight (center of sun 6-0 degrees below horizon) lasted from 0719-0755 when the it was sunrise. 

Some authorities describe the morning twilights as dawns and the evening twilights as dusks, but I'll keep it simple and refer to those periods as twilight. Another note, nautical twilight was very useful before GPS and other kinds of geo-positioning because it allowed mariners to locate their position by using a sextant, the horizon and astronomical bodies (astronavigation).

I said that the days and twilights were different in Panama. I noticed the same thing in Viet Nam. The twilight periods in the tropics are notable for their shortness compared to those of more temperate climes. This is caused by the speed of the earth's rotation in the particular local. 

The earth spins on its axis approximately once in 24 hours. If you measure the circumference of the earth at the equator and do the math you see that the point on which you are standing is rotating at about 1,037.5 mph. As you move toward the poles, the circumference (following the latitudes) shrinks. Once again, you can do the math (using cosign and multiplication) and find the speed. Here in Edmonds, we are moving at about 631.24 mph. Moving farther north, the distance gets shorter and shorter until at the north pole you can literally encircle the earth with your arms. There the land (water and ice) beneath you is moving not in miles per hour but in inches per hour. 

This speed combined with the angle of the suns rays, gives us the length of the twilights. Here in Edmonds, since we're traveling only about half as fast as people at the equator, the twilights are much longer. 

Interestingly, the maximum northern latitude for astronomical twilight at midnight during the summer solstice (longest day of the year) in the northern hemisphere is 48.56 degrees. At 48.75 degrees, Bellingham just falls within that range and thus is the only large city in the continental US to do so.

Well, that's probably more than you wanted to know about twilight, so I'll stop there and wish you a Merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

I took this an hour or so ago. I'm sure Iko's orchids are glad they are inside that window instead of out in the deluge we are having today.
    

Beaver Moon

 Last Monday evening and Tuesday morning, we had mostly clear weather. The Beaver moon (traditional name for the November full moon) rose in the northeast and set in the northwest so I had occasion to watch it.

This shot is taken at 1819, Monday, November 30th toward the northeast from my deck. The moon was full but partially hidden by clouds just when I wanted to get a photo.

This shot was taken at 0547 the next morning, Tuesday, Dec 1st. This is my storm flag (approx. 2 x 3 feet) which I fly during the winter months because of the wind and rain.

Here it is 0739 on Tuesday morning. It's been light for twenty minutes or so, but the full moon is still visible.

Today I was walking on the far side of the marsh and noted that the weeping willow trees over there had lost all their leaves. The one in this photo still has most of its leaves. Must be a different microclimate.

After observing the marsh, I turned under the pine trees across the road in the photo above and walked along the boardwalk then down to Railroad Avenue to see how the new Edmonds Senior Center is coming. It is pretty much finished and the grand opening was supposed to be around the end of November but the construction fence is still up so I couldn't go onto the grounds. In a few days I'll walk that way again. The fence should be down by then and I'll introduce you to the new Senior Center.

Continuing north, I passed the ferry terminal then hopped across the tracks and continued north on sunset Avenue. 

The roses that line the parking strip have lost their leaves but there are still a few blooms. I guess they are winter roses. I'll see if they last until winter actually begins on the 21st.

We've had some light frosts even though the temperature on my deck hasn't dropped below 34.5 degrees. It's supposed to rain for the next couple days, but when the weather clears I'll do a blog entry of the hardy flowers that brave the chilly winds and short days to bloom in wintertime Edmonds.