Around this time of year, I start getting up when it’s still dark. The window with my desktop looks east, so I’ve been greeted by the bright voices of Venus and Mars.
But this morning as I walked out of my back bedroom, I noticed a spot of light on the floor. I found it came from a high window, a star almost directly overhead. Now, normally I take the same approach to stars as my mother did with birds: you’ve got your robins, your blue jays, your woodpeckers, and your Little Brown Birds. But when someone leave a shy message at your very feet, well, you have to ask.
I think that gentleman is Castor, one of the Twins of Gemini. And by putting this machine I’m typing on to its other use, reaching out for information, I’m informed that Castor is not only half of the Castor and Pollux twins, he is also an entire star system, three sets of twins in one. He sent that patch of light that ended up on my carpet when I was twelve years old, and it arrived today, some 51 years later.
All in all, a nice way to begin the day.
Merrily Taylor says
September 6, 2015 at 7:01 amWonderful, Laurie, think of how long that little spot of light traveled to be with you! May it be an inspiration to more beautiful writing and general happiness!
(From a Genimi…)
bob menn says
September 6, 2015 at 7:27 amOn the evening of the18th, look for the crescent moon. Saturn will be the glimmering diamond slightly below, to the left. You’ll be seeing Saturn 72 minutes in the past.
Kate Martino says
September 6, 2015 at 7:47 amExactly! Maybe it’s time Miss Russell took a look to the stars for her future. And the live she has lived thus far.
Carole Milligan says
September 6, 2015 at 8:16 amI like to go out early and look at the sky. Today I enjoyed seeing the waning moon, just getting a crescent shape. Venus was blazing like a distant fllodlight in the east. And there was Orion, harbinger of Autumn. I also contemplate how much time the light of the stars took to reach us.
Thank you for sharing your early morning with us.
Elaine Jones says
September 6, 2015 at 9:02 amDoesn’t anyone read what they write before they send it anymore? Spell-check doesn’t fix wrong word usage, you know. How often this happens to embarrass me, too.
Laurie King says
September 6, 2015 at 10:10 amWhat word is that? (And yes, I am no editor…)
Elaine Jones says
September 16, 2015 at 8:53 amThe word in your post was ‘leave’ when you meant ‘leaves’. In a following reply, it was ‘live’ instead of ‘life.’ Sorry to have jumped in, but two in a row set me off. It’s a point of distress with me that so many people, seemingly illiterate, never notice words like ‘your’ for ‘you’re, etc’. Even professionally edited books are published with multiple errors that spoil a person’s leisurely reading enjoyment. Again, I apologize for my rudeness.
Laurie King says
September 17, 2015 at 5:52 amNo, that’s fine, it makes me aware that I need to make the font bigger on my desktop–my eyes just don’t see tiny typos. Gettin’ old, I guess!
Diane H. says
September 6, 2015 at 10:14 amIf you use an iPad and are typing too fast, it puts in a word closest to what it thinks you meant to type. Drives me crazy! Also, we often read what we meant to type, even if we’ve misspelled a word.
Lenore says
September 15, 2015 at 6:04 pmLike the time I attempted to text my nephew, about to leave for a cross-country trip, “Drive safely.” Auto-correct changed it to “Drive savagely.”
Diane H. says
September 16, 2015 at 9:15 amTalk about changing your message!
Melodie says
September 6, 2015 at 11:44 amFortunately, Elaine, most of us are smart enough to figure out what someone is saying, even if the spelling, usage or grammar is wrong. 🙂
Laurie King says
September 6, 2015 at 12:07 pmOr maybe it’s just that I need new glasses?
Diane H. says
September 6, 2015 at 9:05 amThat is so fantastic and whimsical!
Madonna Smith says
September 6, 2015 at 2:28 pmWhat a wonderful way to start my day; enjoyed reading your entry. I’ve noticed the sun is not where it used to be as it comes up now. It used to hit my chair by an east window; now, mostly hits–at a slant–a set of southern windows and an east window further south of my chair window. Our deck is shaded longer now in the morning–great for the a.m. cuppa and reading.
Storyteller Mary says
September 6, 2015 at 2:29 pmWhat an interesting hijack of topic, and linked to an “under construction” website (which I feel foolish for clicking). I am charmed by the grouping of stars and planets, and if I’m awake early enough, I’ll go check to see what I can see despite the ambient light from nearby businesses. There is much loveliness still in the world.
Karen Plastiras says
September 7, 2015 at 9:47 amI am afraid I usually miss the early morning darkness as I am up late at night reading. Laurie, I just finished Keeping Watch and absolutely loved it! Prior to going to Vietnam a few years ago, I read everything about the country I could get my hands on, from books poorly but evocatively written by Vietnamese and American soldiers experiences to The Matterhorn (quite a missive about the idiocy of “taking a hill” for no reason, much as you portrayed in Keeping Watch. What I did not read were any books about the returning vets and the nightmares they brought home.
I am involved in Roots for Peace, an organization dedicated to eliminating land mines around the world, and this year particularly in Vietnam. We are planning to go to Vietnam next year to help with that project. So you can see why I resonated so strongly with your book.
I want to thank you for your continued writing. I have read almost every one of your books. Hopefully there is one I have missed so there is another treat waiting. Historical fiction and the way you, particularly write has made my last few months of reading very exciting.
Laurie King says
September 7, 2015 at 10:37 amThanks for this, Karen, and thank you for the work you are doing to rid the world of these most horrendous of weapons. I wish you much happy reading.
Laurie