Yesterday we watched the annular eclipse, which was 98% complete in Austin, Texas (which is to say, we got a crescent, not a ring) … still, it was magical …

The first image is an enlarged screen shot of an iPhone video made with an eclipse viewer held over the lens. We also delighted in the multiple crescents projected from a simple colander, wondered at the magic of sunlight projected through tree leaves, showed the grandkiddos how to use a pinhole viewer that Don made, and watched the moon slide over the sun with ISO-rated viewers purchased direct from a recommended company (which included a printed caution not to use the viewers for more than three minutes at a time).

What stirred me was the coppery light of the occluded sun … different from the silver light of a total eclipse, but eerie just the same. I say that as I recall being in St Louis six years ago when a total eclipse occurred, although we didn’t have safe viewers at hand back then. For sure we will cross our fingers for clear skies and keep our viewers handy for a total eclipse in Texas next April.

In any case, I count myself beyond fortunate to have the potential for three experiences of solar eclipse within a seven year period. A gift from the universe.

On a more prosaic note, I also got to play Jenga with Parker and Ellis after the eclipse had passed …

and got a smile from seeing pictures of Ellis wearing clip-on earrings at show and tell on “E” day (how lucky her shy self is to have such a loving pre-school teacher) …

Finally, I took a couple of pictures of the tablecloth in progress to get some perspective on how far I have to go …

the table top is about 8’ x 3’ (currently one of the 18” leaves is taken out) … the cloth itself is 120” x 60” … definitely a long-term project!!

P.S. I can’t tell you how great it feels to wear a long-sleeve shirt again …