Full Moon Over Burlington Vermont

We have a glorious full moon upcoming on Tuesday, January 22nd. I celebrate such events. It's quite possible my love of full moons began while as a young child being read Goodnight Moon by my mother over and over night after night. That reassuring story and the gentle melody of my mum's voice comforted me to sleep as I found my sweet spot amidst the tangle of my sheets and cozy Hudson's Bay blankets. Years later, I, as have many of us, read this same classic story to my/our children.

In a newer book, On The Day You Were Born, it's author Debra Frasier pays loving homage to the moon as if it were a present to look forward to each and every month all our lives. She writes, "On the day you were born the quiet Moon glowed and offered to bring a full, bright face, each month, to your windowsill...". When clouds hide my dear friend from time to time (it's inevitable), it only makes my heart yearn for the next one all the more.

I've been giving precious thought about how to celebrate January's soon full moon...

Several Januarys ago, a friend and I hiked up Camel's Hump on a cloudless night. The wind lay still. As we ascended from the Huntington trailhead, my heart quickened its paces. Warmth radiated to the tips of my fingers and toes in the twenty degree below zero air. Snow on the trail and in the woods reflected the sun's light from the face of the moon illuminating everything. As our eyes became accustomed to the unfolding scene around us greater and greater details were discovered. Shadows of tree branches crisscrossed the worn, snowy trail. I was floored by how much I could see on that night. I think I read somewhere it takes 30 minutes or something like that for our eyes to adjust to the night away from all artificial lights. As time passed, I thought, my, oh my, I could read a book in this light. Such beauty!

We stopped along the trail several times to drink water and savor our steaming hot chocolate from my treasured thermos and just "be". We passed ‘nary a soul on this night. Where was everyone I thought? Could we count ourselves amongst the very privileged few to be witnessing such beauty? Skyward we went. The trail sharpened its angle. More layers were peeled and stored in our packs. I was in a silk weight T shirt and yet somehow I was warm.

The Stillness. The Solitude. That ethereal light. But the best was yet to come...

At tree line, I replaced my damp "T" shirt and put on my driest fleece and layered up as we reached for the summit. When we broke free of the gnarled krumholz, joy leapt from my heart as a most stunning sight sprawled out beyond my feet. The lighting was other worldly. Like a negative of an old black and white photograph from Snowflake Bentley's collection. There we were perched on the upper reaches of the spine of the Green Mountains. To my right, I could see clear down to Mount Mansfield and well beyond. I rubbed my eyes testing myself and my wits for what my mind interpreted. I hadn't seen such a sight in Vermont ever before. Everything was so crystal clear. Straight ahead of us lie Vermont's Champlain Valley with all her teensy twinkling lights with people cozy in their homes. I blew kisses and loving thoughts to my children asleep in their beds in Burlington and I thought how lucky I was that my body could bring me to this spot, to this moment in time.

I want to see that light again...

Today, I'm hoping and praying for clear skies this Tuesday night as thoughts near of packing my pack.

Please share your full moon stories by posting a comment here on Hurd's The Word or go to my website at: Burlington VT Real Estate

Goodnight Moon.