A Moon Walk

Darkness had descended, but we had only just finished outside chores, eaten our dinner and about the do the clean up. Coming in after taking out the trash, my husband said, “It’s such a gorgeous night, and the honeysuckle smells wonderful; let’s go for a walk!”

Credit: fineartamerica

I quickly changed my shoes and was ready to go. So were the dogs. We rarely take them for walks after dark, but they’re always up for an adventure.

The moon was waxing toward fullness and cast a stunning light on the landscape. We followed the usual route – out the side gate and down the path that runs behind the potager garden.

Overhead along the path, the privet hedge and  twisted honeysuckle vines have created a canopy over the years. They almost meet the red cedar trees on the other side of the path, with barely enough space for the tractor to navigate.

Along the path, the constant shade creates a soft mossy carpet.

In this enclosed space, the intoxicating scent of honeysuckle almost overwhelms. Meandering along the trail I was assaulted by the intoxicating scent. Nothing smells better than honeysuckle, especially when inhaled during the cool of the evening.

The honeysuckle is visited by nocturnal moths, a pollinator attracted by the sweet smell.

  

Friends, if I could bottle this scent, I would do so.

After we came out from under the overgrowth and into the open field, we were treated to the sight of hundreds of fireflies in mid-air, here, there, everywhere. It was my first sighting of them this year and it's always a fascinating experience, first time or not. The tiny, glittering orbs of undulating light are just somehow magical.

There comes a moment when all you can do is stand and stare in awe and breathe in all the goodness and beauty of life. But then my thoughts went to Oklahoma and all those who are suffering so badly and have lost so much. And for a moment I felt guilty in my contentment.

The contrasts, the dichotomy of life. And we wonder when the diurnal axis will turn on us. It was a thought I was pondering when we realized the dogs had wandered off, chasing some good night scent. A whistle was all that was required to bring them back underfoot. They are not fond of the darkness.

By the time we came round to the tree covered front lawn -- the last leg of the journey -- I became aware of something I’ve never noticed before: the shadows cast by the moon! Great swatches of light filtered through the tree branches. White light creating a mosaic on the dark earth.

I would not have been very surprised should there have appeared in front of me a white winged unicorn!

My excitement over seeing moon shadows was comparable to a child on Christmas morning. My husband chuckled, saying he was totally surprised that I, of all people, who notices everything, had never seen moon shadows. 

I said it's because I don't take walks in the moonlight often enough.

Tonight I walked into the darkened front lawn to check on moon shadows. I gazed into the sky, but a misty haze surrounds the moon. Fog is settling in. Rain tomorrow. But I was rewarded anyway with a cool evening breeze, the cacophony of the night bugs and the magical fireflies.