FLY ME TO THE Moon via CLEVELAND HOPKINS INT’L AIRPORT

The lead photograph shows, on the evening of Friday, August 5th, 2022 shortly after 8:30 p.m. over Jefferson Park’s tennis courts -- on the left side a small white dot representing the August half moon called the first quarter (full moon is due on the 11th), and on the right a jumbo passenger plane on its way to land at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

 

While it was a hot and humid day – high of 88 deg. F with a humidity of 85% -- felt like close to 100 deg. F – I could not help but sing along with Frank Sinatra:

 

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like on

A - Jupiter and Mars ----

 

During the daytime it was clear – later the clouds took over and it also rained a small amount – 1/8 inch according to our two rain gages. Then as the clouds moved away a little bit – the sun came out.

 

I was out playing solo tennis in the evening. See second photograph.

 

Overhead the clouds were moving – in all directions providing some drama – sometimes the sun was out – sometimes there was no sun. The sky scene on some days is like a play with innumerable acts -- with the curtain going up and down and up and down ------.

 

Planes were flying overhead on their way to the airport.

 

Suddenly, I saw what looked like a shining speck of cloud.

 

It was our moon at 8:21 p.m. in the evening sky – shortly before sunset. See third photograph for a magnified view. On August 5th the sun set at 8:39 p.m.

 

(The days are getting shorter now that we are past summer. On June 21st – the first day of summer 2022 – the sun rose at 5:53 a.m. and set at 9:04 p.m. – giving us a day with a length of 15-hours and 11-minutes, On August 5th – the sun rose at 6:25 a.m. -- giving us a day with a length of 14-hours and 14-minutes. On September 21st -- the first day of autumn 2022 – about six weeks away -- the day and night will be nearly 12-hours in length. The days will then keep on getting shorter until December 21st -- the first day of winter -- and then longer and then shorter again – and then longer and then shorter again ----------- in an endless dance in a mysterious universe.)

 

I followed the moon all the way home taking multiple photographs with my pocket digital camera. I love taking photographs and carry my camera with me everywhere I go.

 

The fourth photograph shows a view of the moon looking south on West 132nd Street.

 

The fifth photograph shows the moon hiding (near the top) behind the tall maple trees in the backyard of our house -- it is a shade brighter than the background evening sky. Our house is on Cooley Avenue on the south side of the park. It has vacant lots on either side (our neighbors and ours) – that is why you see so many trees.

 

Our porch (starting last year) now has different lights (I leave them on all night) to reflect the seasons – green for spring, blue for summer (to provide a cool feeling), yellow for autumn, and red for winter (to provide a warm feeling).

When I come home after playing tennis – our two outdoor cats and my constant companions usually greet me. I forgot to photograph them on August 5th. The last photograph shows the pair relaxing and waiting for me in our driveway. Smokey (the mother) is on the right and Gingy, her son, is on the left on the evening of August 7th – another very hot and humid day.

 

Enjoy the summer and next time you see the moon -- don’t forget to sing with Frankie!