These Are My JOTtings...

The Great American Eclipse, 2017!

What a GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!

The Great American Eclipse, 2017 lived up to its billing in the Northeast corner of Georgia, USA!
The Lord gave us a clear sky and staggering moment in HIStory!

We saw the light of the sun shine through a tree in crescents, first on one side of the circle of light before the eclipse and then on the other side of the circle after the eclipse. It is a little hard to describe clearly, but think of it this way. When the sun is shining in unobstructed rays, the light comes through the trees in complete shafts (or rays) of light. During the lead up to and the denouement after the eclipse, the shafts of light appeared to be crescents, since the moon was blocking part of the light. That meant that from my perspective the crescents were on the right side of the circle before the eclipse, and they were on the left side of the circle after the eclipse.

The crickets stopped chirping during the eclipse. What an eerie silence!

The last thirty seconds to a minute before the eclipse played out like a sunset in a hurry. The same amount of time after the eclipse played out like a sunrise in a hurry.

During the total eclipse I couldn't see anything with the glasses, so I carefully removed them, glanced to see the total eclipse, then I rushed to get my camera in position and captured about twenty photographs of the eclipse as fast as the shutter would release. (I have edited one to make it as clear as possible. It is currently my profile pic.)

Hard Work!
Exciting, Scary, Thrilling Opportunity
for a photographer!

I worked as fast as I could, praying that I would not harm my eyes in any way! When the crescent of sun came out at the end of the eclipse, I thought (and I hope I actually said out-loud,) "No more looking!"

I did have a little eye strain after it was all finished, but no more so than when I am driving west from Savannah, Georgia at sunset. How many times have I been at a traffic light, holding up my left hand, hoping and praying that I could actually see the green light, when it was my turn to go! (I think I'm going to have to plan my trips better. Driving home after dark wouldn't be nearly so bad as all of that!)

The most priceless thing about August 21st, 2017 (for me at least) was that I got to share the experience with my dear daughter, Jade Amber Jewel .

Neither of us has ever experienced a solar eclipse before. Neither of us will ever forget this one!

This has been a one-in-a-million MEMORY!

Thank You so much, Lord Jesus, for this great gift!