I awoke before the alarm, anticipating our pre-dawn Blue Moon adventure. We drove to the perfect plateau to view the stunning reds of the Blue Moon’s umbral eclipse. I think of sunstone, carnelian, and garnet gemstones – shimmering in the light of night.

We arrived in the still beauty of the night – only deer roamed nearby. I snapped a few pre-umbra shots as the moon peaked out between the clouds.

Ah yes, the clouds. They snuggled over the full moon like a down comforter. Clouds. Clouds. And yet more clouds. Not the wispy ones that add that layer of depth and drama to viewing the moon. These were dense, bland, heavy clouds, covering the western skies and stealing this rare experience from me. An unexpected tear emerged.

And then as I turned from the hidden moon, the sun awoke the skies of the east. The rays sent golden light to the now breaking clouds that were dancing across the sky. A gift of God. A glimpse of the Universe. A gift unexpected.