“We’re sleeping outside tonight so we can watch the stars before it gets too cold,” Richard announced. By dusk we were packing a mattress and sleeping bags from the attic to the east yard to set up our star gazing post. Although we’d planned to share our backyard adventure with our dog and cat, they stood with their noses pressed against the door until we relented and let them inside to sleep in the comfort of their own beds. We, however, treated ourselves to an incredible show. The Milky Way stretched above us and Mars glowed on the horizon. Together we located the Summer Triangle formed by Vega, Altair and Deneb as well as the Big and Little Dipper, the Swan, the Eagle and Orion the Hunter. Topping it off, we counted at least 5 shooting stars. Since that night, we’ve been avidly studying Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey (the best star book we’ve found yet!) in hopes there will be a September night in the dark of the moon when it’s warm enough to sleep out under the blazing sky.
This sounded like a great time. I can see it all so vividly. Can’t wait to camp with Campbell Gray by the Musselshell the next time we come out.