I’ve been surfing a bit, and I noticed I have a few gems not shared by others. I hope these can be helpful, not only this weekend, but for life.
First, our pets don’t automatically understand rare events like solar eclipses. Some pets don’t live long enough to see more than one. I had a different bird during the last eclipse, and that bird was very upset that there was a clear sky, but it was getting dark out at the wrong time of day. It just felt odd to her. I do try to comfort my pets when I know something odd is going to happen, but that doesn’t mean they will understand. I tell my birds it will become dark at the wrong time of day, but they are safe. It’s OK to sleep through the event. I leave calming music on for them when I go out to watch. A spray of lavender could help if pets get too stressed. Some people bring dogs outdoors, not thinking they could look up and hurt their eyes, too. My best friend is planning on keeping her cats indoors with shades drawn for their safety. It would be good to get walks in beforehand and afterwards.
People crafts include pinhole postcards. Well, it’s not quite a pin hole. Take an index card or thick piece of cardstock that sticks out straight when held by one corner. In the center simewhere, punch a hole about half the thickness of a pencil. Take the card outside and hold it parallel to the ground. The card will cast an image of what is going on above onto the ground.
I think it was 1982, in New Haven, Indiana: I was showing my younger cousin how to harvest rhubarb when he noticed a reflection on my glasses. We’d had no idea there was going to be an eclipse, no craft instructions. Evan saw something odd going on in the reflection of the glass of my spectacles. Somehow, we both were smart enough to watch the event in the reflection of my glasses rather than looking up. I was considering taking a glass jar out to see if the eclipse would reflect well in that. Sunglasses won’t protect eyes enough for direct viewing, but they might be a good reflective surface.
Oh, side note: don’t harvest rhubarb during a solar eclipse. Ours died.
During a solar eclipse in the early 2010’s, someone offered me old photo negatives they weren’t going to get pictures off of. Such things are becoming rare, and the negatives are unusable afterward. If you do try it, stack 2 or 3 together before trying to look through them. I cannot guarantee eye safety, though, so other methods are preferable.
Now for something extra Magical which no one else seems to have noticed. Look on the ground while approaching the usual shade of a tree. The placement of leaves makes natural pinholes all over! It feels like walking on glitter. There will be mini crescent moons all over the place! If there is a breeze, the images will dance! Nature casts Her own form of Magick!
I discovered this one in Berne, Indiana in the early 1990’s when my mother, grandmother, and I went out to eat, again with no clue we were going to have an extraordinary astronomical event that day.
Keep looking down! Blessings Be!
I’m not sure which word to use!
it’s often easy to forget those reminders when something amazing is happening!