Can't find the moon

I can't find the moon. It's gone - lost in space. Maybe it fell into the black hole or some deep dark abyss. I saw it just the other night. Saw the twinkle in his eye and that little tell tale of a smirk frothing at his lip. Was that smirk something of what was to come? Did he know he would hide from me this morning?

I'm sitting outside guzzling my morning coffee - trying to get my engine revved up to start the day. The sky is beautiful loaded with stars and other planets - looks like no clouds to hide behind. But he's not there.... Stars are sparkling, planes are buzzing quietly through the skies - but NO moon.

I read somewhere that during the month of October some planet - the name of which has slipped my weary mind - was going to be very-very visible right beneath the moon. So now what? No moon around. How can I gaze at this planet? This other universe where somebody may be gazing back at me.

How rude of the moon to play this trick on me and hide. Is this intentional? Is this to confuse my mind more than it already is. I have been wandering around in the dark in my backyard - searching for his glow and smiling face. I have no idea what the neighbors are thinking. And why do they have no concerns over the missing moon? Have they no life?

I'll check one more time before the morning swims across the sky and slowly covers all the stars and planets from view. Perhaps tonight or tomorrow morning he will show his face and I can see that planet of which name I cannot remember but just have to see. I need patience or a telescope. What will the neighbors be thinking then?

Stars in the sky

I'm sitting outside in the wee hours of this beautiful Saturday morning - still dark and quiet as if the world has yet to begin. I hear the water sprinklers and the cat on the deck barfing but no other sounds to paint the early morning.

I look up at the sky with the crescent shaped moon surrounded by stars and planets and an occasional plane sailing silently through the sky to places unknown. I always wonder where they are going and wishing it was me. I used to wish on the first star I saw at night but then I grew up. Actually sometimes I still make wishes on that first evening star. But this morning the sky is filled with stars and it's not a time for wishing but enjoying the moment.

Looking south right over the tops of the palm trees I see a star or perhaps a planet as it is sooo big. It's flashing. At first I think it's a plane but it doesn't move it just flashes. I rub the early morning sleepiness from my eyes but still it flashes. Far off to my left I see another flash but it moves so it must be a plane? Is it? I wonder.

My mind wanders and I think about the new planet that the news says it right for human habitation. I wonder if this flashing planet or star is advertising for people to come and visit? Or is it an alien ship spying on what we do in the dark hours of the new day. I drink my coffee laced with hazelnut cream and stare at the flashing orb and try not to be hypnotized.

What was trash - now eclectic trash

How my creativity saved me money - or - how to survive being cheap. I needed an umbrella stand and having little cash to spare and being on the skimpy side of the moon - I improvised. And I did a darn good job improvising and saving the planet one plastic bucket at a time. Pat myself on the back.

Materials

Lightweight Umbrella
Large Plastic Container (bucket) with lid
Sand or (weighted materials, bricks, stones, broken concrete)
PVC Pipe (optional)


Any large plastic container with a lid will work. Chlorine pool tablets come in a large bucket with a lid. Take a small piece of PVC pipe; make sure the umbrella post fits snugly inside. This can be used for balance and strength. Measure for the PVC pipe from bottom of bucket to approximately 3 inches above the lid, it can be higher or lower depending on how much pvc pipe you already have. Trace with crayon or marker around the diameter of the PVC pipe on the lid in the center. Drill or cut around the marking in the center of the lid to fit in the PVC pipe. A sharp knife can be used to cut the plastic lid.

Place the cut PVC pipe in the center of the bucket (lid off). Fill the bucket with sand, rocks, gravel or any other usable material. I used left over play sand. Slip the lid over the PVC pipe and seal. Place the umbrella pole into the PVC pipe.
You can place the umbrella pole directly into the lid and then add weighted materials into the bucket and not use a PVC pipe. It makes removal of the umbrella easier with the PVC pipe in place.
This works great with small to medium sized lightweight umbrellas. You can paint or decorate your white bucket to match your décor or mood.