PL2017 - Week 34

I know back in my PL2017 - Week 29, I talked at length about seeing the milky way and the rings of Saturn. It was truly one of the highlights of summer for me. Another much anticipated event was the eclipse that was happening on August 21st. Some parts of North America were going to experience a total eclipse. 

I did a blog post on our eclipse experience. You can go back and read it here. 

Spoiler alert. It was a little disappointing. For us any way. The change in light was so subtle, that if you hadn't known this was happening, you would have totally missed it. Having said that, watching the moon move across the sun with our special eclipse glasses and home made eclipse viewers, was very cool. It shows you just how strong our sun is. It does tend to leave you in awe. 

We'd all like to be somewhere to check out a true full eclipse. Who knows, maybe we'll plan all our vacations and trips around seeing eclipses... 

Probably not, but it would be fun to do, if money were no object. 

Here is week 34:

• Our little eclipse party. 
• Starting our plumbing project. The first cut was definitely the hardest. 
• Our orange sunsets because of forest fires throughout Alberta.
• Madelyn still eager to play at the playground. [Please stay little forever]
• Trip to the trampoline park before school heads back. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used:

Pause Kit - http://the-lilypad.com/store/pause-kit.html

Pause Journal cards - http://the-lilypad.com/store/pause-journal-cards.html.

Solar Eclipse - 2017

You guys... A week ago Calgary experienced our first solar eclipse in a long, long time.

I know that I was in elementary school, when the last eclipse was in town. [I absolutely just dated myself] I have a vague recollection of it. That and the concord, that went over our city, breaking the sound barrier. Two things that have nothing to do with one another, but two things I have vague memories of...

Anyway, Monday August 21st, we were to witness a solar eclipse, and see 81% of totality.

81% seems like it should get at least dusky... Right? Wrong. 

I'm not going to lie. 81% of totality, ended up being pretty disappointing. If you didn't know the eclipse was happening, you wouldn't have even realized the change in light. The light change was very subtle. A little bit more 'golden'. Inside the house, was more noticeable, it was much duller.

We had purchased eclipse glasses, and I had made cereal box eclipse viewers, which turned out very cool. It was so easy to make, and you got a real good look at the eclipse.

We brought out lawn chairs and parked ourselves in the driveway, for a front row show. It didn't disappoint.

Here are some photos from that day:

It was really hard to get any decent photos, trying to take them inside the cereal box. But it worked so well, you really got to see the shape change as the moon passed across the sun.

And, it wasn't all exciting... Mad made sure she had some reading material handy.

One thing I didn't realize, is that you would be able to see the eclipse in the shadows, such as leaves. I saw that later on the news, and wish I'd known that fact.

I'd also like to check out the next total eclipse... I want to see totality. That just got put in my bucket list.