Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse on December 31, 2009

Google Image

The final full moon of 2009 is a lunar eclipse and a blue moon. A blue moon refers to the second full moon in one month.  The first full moon this month occurred on December 2nd and the second full moon is today.  This will be the 13th full moon of 2009.  This phenomenon only occurs every 2.7 years - hence the phrase "once in a blue moon."  And it is rarer that the lunar event occurs on a New Year's Eve (NYE) around every 20 years or so.  It is going to be a 'Blue Moon' the same night it turns a new decade.  The next 'Blue Moon' New Years Eve will be in 29 years on December 31, 2028.

First Snow

Snow Angel

Raked Out!

The neighborhood I live in is a lovely SE Portland Oregon neighborhood,  filled with old trees and solid built older homes.   

All these glorious trees,  come autumn flaunt their tribal colors --  blood red, rusty orange,  golden yellow, earthy brown, burgundy, . . 

....And then --- they start to fall and fall and fall and fall some more. . .

 

And just when you thing you are done ranking up all those  did I say 'glorious' leaves?

 image from http://euroantiquemarket.blogspot.com/

They fall some more. .

 
This neighborhood is also one of Portland's most established, popular neighborhoods and also plays host to a private institution, Reed College. The College campus is a home for  many wonderful examples of Pacific Northwest indigenous plants, as well as other more exotic species, that were added to the campus covering an area of approximately 116 acre landscape since founded in 1908. At present, there are over 2,000 trees representing more than 125 species. (To learn more about the trees of Reed, visit web.reed.edu/trees.)

Grand Finale

Edith Piaf - Autumn Leaves (Les Feu
illes Mortes)

The falling leaves
Drift by the window
The autumn leaves
All red and gold
I see your lips
The summer kisses
The sunburned hands
I used to hold.

Since you went away
The days grow long...
And soon I'll hear
Old winter songs
But I miss you most of all
My darling, when autumn leaves start to fall...

C'est un chanson
Qui nous ressemble
Toi qui m'aimais
Et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous les deux ensemble
Tou qui m'aimais
Moi qui t'aimais

Mais la vie sépare
Ceux qui s'aiment
Tout doucement
Sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable
Les pas des amants désunis.

Since you went away
The days grow long...
And soon I'll hear
Old winter songs
But I miss you most of all
My darling, when autumn leaves start to fall...