Wordsmith.org
Posted By: Candy Umbraphile - 11/15/12 10:01 AM
Umbraphile.....thats me, well if doing it once classifieds me as such. I like to think so.

Its a great word. Umbraphile is a shadow lover, especially in terms of eclipse chasing. One who searches the world for best place to see this natural phenomenon.

Waiting For The Shadow
I travelled 1700k to see the Total Eclipse. And thousands of people from around the world descended into Cairns for the same reason. It is very rare to see a total solar eclipse, especially from the land and in ones own country.

As dawn broke and the sun began to rise over Queensland, totality ....when the moon completely covers the sun began. It was Wednesday the 14th of November. A day that will be in my memory for ever. An extraordinary natural phenomenon.

The eclipse happens because at this time, in space, the sun which is 400 times bigger than the moon, is also 400 times farther away, so for those near Cairns it will appear that the moon matches the size of the sun.


What creates the shadow

It really makes you think....what the world would be like with out the sun, how dark it would be, and cold. I noticed a sudden drop in the temperature and that the birds went quiet, everything was quiet. I thought about what it must have been like for the dinosaurs back during the Ice Age.

I'm hooked. I am planning where I have to go next to see the next eclipse laugh
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Umbraphile - 11/15/12 05:35 PM
As you know it is definitely on my 'bucket list'.
I am very envious, and your email sites were marvelous,
especially the one of the folks on the beach and the
brief cloud cover.
Posted By: Tromboniator Re: Umbraphile - 11/15/12 11:12 PM
We had a dog named Umbra: the collie part of her gave her a tiny white stripe on her muzzle, the Lab part put a matching black stripe next to it. The husky part of her made her love to pull, and for years we took her to a carnival at the local elementary school, put on her harness, and hitched her to a little red wagon. She happily hauled children on the track around the playground all day long.
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Umbraphile - 11/16/12 05:27 PM
That is really neat. I had a red wagon as a kid, and have
a miniature Radio Flyer on my desk to hold junk.
Posted By: Jackie Re: Umbraphile - 11/17/12 05:44 AM
Candy! WOW! I am SO impressed! And jealous . wink What kind of eye protection did you have? Or did you do that pinhole-in-a-box thing?
Posted By: Candy Re: Umbraphile - 11/17/12 02:02 PM
I had a welders helmet, Jackie. It gave the best protection. The glasses (cardboard with some sort of protective lens)they were selling for $10 were issued with warning 'not for continual use'!

Umbra...was a great name for that dog, with those markings, Peter.
Posted By: Tromboniator Re: Umbraphile - 11/18/12 03:21 AM
She was a sweetheart.
Posted By: tsuwm Re: Umbraphile - 11/18/12 04:00 AM
some might take umbrage at this whole thread!
Posted By: Tromboniator Re: Umbraphile - 11/18/12 07:58 AM
It's only a shadow of what it might have been.
Posted By: Candy Re: Umbraphile - 11/18/12 11:22 AM
Originally Posted By: tsuwm
some might take umbrage at this whole thread!


Then...they do well to hide in the shadows then, tsuwm
Posted By: BranShea Re: Umbraphile - 11/19/12 05:28 PM
I would gladly be back from the shadows if there were any highlights to compensate for this relentless umbrage. Mist and shadows. A neverending story of petty personal trivialia.
Maybe that's what everybody wants. Then so be it. Mist and shadows.
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Umbraphile - 11/19/12 05:58 PM
It was a dark and stormy night......and the police were in
hiding.
Posted By: BranShea Re: Umbraphile - 11/19/12 10:15 PM
Avoiding, not hiding dear. Just keep up the good work of
protecting the flock against the arrogant and the p o l i c e. Enjoy!
Posted By: LukeJavan8 Re: Umbraphile - 11/20/12 07:41 PM
What Me? Police the police?
Posted By: Tromboniator Re: Umbraphile - 11/21/12 05:36 AM
Originally Posted By: BranShea
petty personal trivialia.
Tautology?
Posted By: Faldage Re: Umbraphile - 11/21/12 01:27 PM
Originally Posted By: Tromboniator
Originally Posted By: BranShea
petty personal trivialia.
Tautology?
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
© Wordsmith.org