Eclipse Party!

The Kelly's, the Mulkeys, the Herman's times two, and the Morgans. 24 of us here to celebrate this celestial event!

We started prepping last night when I noticed shin high blackberries all over in the front yard and I didn't want people getting scratched or breaking their ankles on the uneven ground. Phil had already committed to taking the children to an outdoor movie showing of Babe sponsored by Willamette Fruit Company and our church. I ended up pulling blackberries and hauling dirt to smooth out the uneven surface for over 2 hours on my own using the car lights to see when it got dark. (And NOT with a good attitude, in case you were wondering). Then it was meal prepping - cutting up fruit, grating cheese, baking potatoes, etc.. We were up early this morning (and Phil stayed up late last night) making sure the bathroom was clean, the countertops cleared off, and breakfast was made.

Prepping potatoes. Incidentally, my favorite way of making "fried" potatoes is to bake the potatoes the night before and leave them in the oven to completely cool. I then chop them up and the trick is to put the pan in the oven with a dollop of coconut oil and then let it heat up for several minutes before putting the potatoes in. This way, they don't make a sticky film on the pan.

Phil went out to mow down some of the weeds before the guests arrived.

It was a delicious spread! Eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, biscuits, sweet bread, crispy kale, cucumbers (slices in vinegar and spears), sliced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe, salsa and coffee. We had our fill (and then some) and there was so much leftover that I won't have to cook for a couple of meals.

We almost got everything done before the eclipse. We had loaded plates and were seated in our chairs (or running around for many of the children) just in time to watch. Besides the sheep and alpaca getting out and going back and forth to load up our plates, we were settled in, and able to watch for the 2 hours (which went really fast!).

It didn't occur to us to watch the viewing anywhere but from the front yard but my brother scouted out the best location on our property that gave us the most unobstructed view (probably 270 degrees of horizon, except for the hillside on the South). This was an amazing location to watch! We could not ask for a more beautiful setting! The sky was clear (and it hazed over in the afternoon), the view was spectacular, the eclipse was unobstructed, the 360 "sunrise" was viewable for miles on all sides, the wind was blowing, and it wasn't too hot.

Breakfast in hand, chairs set up, eclipse glasses on!

The girls were much easier to photograph because they sat still!

Believe it or not, this was the best picture of these boys that I got LOL.

Phil did most of the photographing.

Alec being skewered with sticks.

Gladiator or eclipse viewer?

This is such a great family picture.

These paper plate viewers worked well for everyone.

My Dad was proudly sporting his moon shirt.

Dan and Mary

Moon shadows

Sawyer loved it! I think he watched more than any other kid.

Girlies!

I love this picture so very much!!

It is starting to get darker. It also got quite a bit colder. We had to grab sweatshirts as the temperature dropped from 70 down to the low 60's. It was so strange to see the lighting change so quickly and from a different angle (overhead rather than dropping down behind the horizon).

I couldn't decide what pictures were best so I just posted all of them. The more yellow pictures Phil took with his cell phone through a pair of eclipse glasses. I took the white colored totality pictures with my Nikon.

Phil took this panoramic picture right before totality. It is one of my favorites shots. First, it shows the beautiful view from our field with our little house there on the left. I feel so very blessed to live here and be able to share it with others . Second, is shows how quickly the land went dark. By the time Phil photographed this shot it was too dark to finish the panorama.

Darkness in the middle of the day. This was spectacular! There was a 360 "sunset" and a brief moment reminiscent of dawn or dusk. The eclipse was stunning but the 2 minutes of totality was the one of the most amazing things I have witnessed. I think one thing that really stuck out to me, was how perfectly this was designed. The sun is 400 times large than the moon, and 400 times farther away but their position in the sky, the specific location on the Earth, and the timing, made the two the same size and for a brief moment it was "safe" to look at the union without the safety of the eclipse glasses. It is also a marvel to think that our eyes have a reflex built in that makes us unable to stare at the bright sun thus preventing damage to our vision. There is a brief time right before totality where that reflex goes away (which is why wearing the glasses is so important up to totality). The entire experience showed the glory and creativity of our Creator.

My aunt sent us this verse from Isaiah and Tina read it to us while we watched:

Isaiah 40:26-31

26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

There should be a special word to describe the darkness in the totality of an eclipse. We have dawn for the morning and dusk for the night but what work do we call a 360 degree twilight mid morning?