“The moon, it turns out, is a great place for men. One-sixth gravity must be a lot of fun, and when Armstrong and Aldrin went into their bouncy little dance, like two happy children, it was a moment not only of triumph but of gaiety. The moon, on the other hand, is a poor place for flags. Ours looked stiff and awkward, trying to float on the breeze that does not blow. (There must be a lesson here somewhere.) It is traditional, of course, for explorers to plant the flag, but it struck us, as we watched with awe and admiration and pride, that our two fellows were universal men, not national men, and should have been equipped accordingly. Like every great river and every great sea, the moon belongs to none and belongs to all. It still holds the key to madness, still controls the tides that lap on shores everywhere, still guards the lovers who kiss in every land under no banner but the sky. What a pity that in our moment of triumph we did not forswear the familiar Iwo Jima scene and plant instead a device acceptable to all: a limp white handkerchief, perhaps, symbol of the common cold, which, like the moon, affects us all, unites us all.”
The “Blue Moon” photo taken last week by the Comox Valley Record. Location: Comox Valley, British Columbia, Canada. Thanks Brother Richard for sharing (even if you couldn’t explain why a Yellow Moon is called a Blue Moon.)
Quote Source: The New Yorker via Explore
Beautiful!
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I so agree!
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That could almost be Vancouver Island. We’ve got a moon like that out here.;-)
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Laughing. You will confuse everyone with your sarcasm. Friends, please see Credits. My brother shared this photo with me. It is on Vancouver Island.
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Oh! How did I miss that? I was so busy gawking at the picture thinking how much it looks like home…That must be the Comox Glacier in the top left. So it IS Vancouver Island. Then it MUST be OUR moon. (Sorry. Can’t help myself.)
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Correct!
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Very nice
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How well done – and it’s funny how we personalize the moon to make it ours, and assume it’s just ok…Maybe the wrongly weighted flag was a serendipitous reminder that we are visitors, not owners.
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Yes. Need your help. Help me with the reference to Iwo Jima and that line. Meaning?
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Well the Iwo Jima memorial is iconic in its depiction of these men from all sections of the military carrying a huge American flag to place in the ground symbolically representing victory, our presence, etc…Yes? I of course think of white handkerchiefs as signs of surrender, but I kinda think White was just mixing images..the one so proprietary, the other so universal. Though who know if they get colds on the moon?
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Helpful, thanks.
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Great piece & picture. Asked the same question about the color…response was to get new computer!
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Of course. We both asked him the same question. Reminded me of him sitting under the cherry tree sunning while I was picking the fruit. Good God Man – get up.
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Oh…I can’t stop laughing!! Classic.
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Gorgeous image and stunning words. It almost doesn’t look real.
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I agree Bonnie. Yet, having been there, it’s all Canadian – all Natural. Tag line of BC plates was Supernatural British Columbia (at least that was my recollection). You need to take your cross country tour way north and west.
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You never know where I just might end up…
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The moon is one of those universal symbols shared by all human beings regardless of their location.
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Yes, it certainly is.
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Stunning post and photo – this one will stay with me. Thanks, Dave.
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Thanks LaDona. I have my Brother to thank for pointing me to the photo. It is a great shot.
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Reblogged this on Fong Tien's Blog.
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I’m not sure if you were kidding – but just in case you weren’t – a blue moon is when there’re two full moons in one month (hence the saying: once in a blue moon). But you knew that, right?
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Laughing. (red-faced). No I did not. Nor did my two younger brothers. Now this tells you something, doesn’t it (esp. In the era of Google). Thanks for the education. 🙂
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Oh, but I’m relieved, in any case. It’s just that I grew up with that phrase.
So last August, we had a full moon at the beginning of the month, and then on the last day of the month.
Cheers
http://gigiwanders.wordpress.com/about/
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Thanks so much for enlightening me Gigi. Appreciate it.
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