'Lookout' for the SuperMoon

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(Edited)

The Interwebz are all ablaze this week with chatter about the current "SuperMoon" — a slang term for when the Moon is at perigee (closest approach to Earth) each year. I frequently step outside all times of year to look at Mother Moon sailing through the sky, and love watching Her as She watches me! 😊

My sister-in-law (my late-husband's sister, not my brother's wife) is not so steady on her feet these days, so she asked me if I'd take her on a short ride in the car so she could see the Moon more easily without having to step outside in the dark and find a place to get a good view without uneven ground and trees in the way. So, we did that last night, stopping first at Burger King™ for milkshakes (she got chocolate, while I got vanilla) and then toodling to a few spots for good lunar views.

One of my favorite spots in the entire county is a small mountain not far from where I live, only 6.5 km/4 miles away, not far at all. It is a pretty little mountain, too, covered with beautiful trees, but also has a couple of spots where there are good views of the surrounding countryside.

At the top of the mountain, there is an old tower. When I was a child, it was used by the US Forest Service as a fire lookout tower[1] during dry seasons when wildfires could easily start. During those times, a Forest Ranger would climb into the tower's cabin and keep watch. It was a perfect location, being a monadnock[2], with the nearest peak that's taller being several km/miles away. If a potential fire was spotted, a device called an alidade[3] could be used to obtain an exact direction of the fire. Using this along with binoculars and a detailed topographical map, he could estimate where the fire was located and alert fire suppression crews via two-way radio to go to the location and check. Sometimes, it might actually be a wildfire, but sometimes it might also be a "controlled burn" of some brush. Regardless, it was always prudent to check, in order to prevent damage to precious wooded areas or homes nearby.

I always wanted to see what the view was like at the top of that tower! But, it was only there for US Forest Service personnel, and the stairwell was locked when a Forest Ranger was not there. Perhaps if I had visited when a Ranger was there, he might have let me climb into the tower's control room for a brief peek, but I was too shy to try that. So, I remained content with what little could be seen from a couple spots at ground level. 😂

So, after our excursion to the top of the mountain last night, we drove down a different road to see the Moon from a different spot. It was a lovely drive, with the entire landscape bathed in the soft light of Mother Moon! 😊

NOTE: the little bump in the above photo is not the mountain with the tower, it is another landform nearby. The mountain with the tower is behind me as I took the above photo. I have written about the small mountain we climbed, the one with the tower, in a previous post, if anyone is interested in reading more about it and seeing some additional photos. But thank you for coming with me on this little adventure!

 😊

SOURCES
   1 Wikipedia: Fire lookout tower
   2 Wikipedia: Inselberg / Monadnock
   3 Wikipedia: Osborne Fire Finder


       



21-Aug-2024

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What an awesome post, and the photos are stunning! This post rates 10 stars out of 5 hahahaha!!!

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It's closer than you think when you use your side mirror of your Lambo to view the moon.

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That was a lovely little adventure for two ladies, what a nice spot to view the Supermoon!
I was so disappointed that I forgot to watch it at the right time! I still told a friend to look out, and then went and forgot to look myself!
About that tower, you need a friend like I have;) She asks questions wherever we go, if we can step behind the scenes if we would like to see a little more. I sometimes wish she was with me when I'm curious about something, as I'm too shy to ask. She's a natural, very charming, and not intrusive, but would not be too shy to ask permission to climb up that tower if a Ranger is around.
Lovely photo with the tower and the moon rays up above, @thekittygirl.

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My sister-in-law (my late-husband's sister, not my brother's wife)

You know, in my mother tongue, Urdu, there are two seperate words for the two relationships. So we don't need to clarify which one we are referring to. Languages have a lot to do with our cultures, traditions and mindset.

It's nice to know that you had a joyful ride seeking the Mother Moon. A sight of nature feels like a bliss.

Have a nice day, sister.

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Well worthwhile taking a drive out of town, you found a nice spot to capture photography with history attached. No light pollution helps to reveal how much lighting we receive.

!LUV
!LADY

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The photos were some good shots of the moon. I am with you and would want to climb the tower and view from it. Then again someone would probably need to give me CPR before I made it to the top. 😀

It is nice you were able to spend some time with your sister-in-law. I do hope you both enjoyed your milkshakes. Did they bring all the boys to the yard? LOL

We forgot all about the Supermoon and missed out. Maybe next one.

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Wow, that is so kind of you to take her for a drive.

! LADY

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I’m really into stargazing too, and it’s inspiring to hear about your experiences .

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Wow, what beautiful and spectacular pictures!

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That's so sweet of you, that drive surely is a fun and beautiful experience for her, and for you too for sure ☺️✨. But if only you were able to climb up on the tower, surely, you'll see another great view of whatever on top of it. But too bad it's closed 😆

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beautiful.. been in my sis-in-law's house recently and have been getting a better view of the moon.. . I should have taken photos of it... it's truly beautiful..
!LADY

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I love that you went out moon-watching. What a neat tower! Smart to have a tower like that to watch for wildfires. It reminds me a little of the beacons in LOTR. Different purpose, obviously, but same far-seeing function.

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How nice to have your favorite spot not too far away. You can always go to that pretty little mountain with beautiful trees where there are good views of the surrounding area! I too have a favorite spot, it is some drive away, but still near.
I got a silver moon and in showing it, I wrote about the supermoon HERE!
!LUV ya, sis!
!LADY

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I would love to see the view up there too. But I'm afraid of heights and would not make it more than 20 feet up that ladder.. lol

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