i have an app that forecasts the northern lights on my ipod but i never remember to look at it. instead, i rely on atlas. he can always be counted on to drag me out of bed for one (or two) (or three) middle-of-the-night potty runs. if the northern lights are visible at all, i will probably be outside at some point to see them. unfortunately, i am too sleepy in those moments to drive to the lake for prime viewing.

on monday, the show started at 10 (!!!) so i put a jacket on over my pajamas & grabbed my camera & drove to the lake. thanks to a kindly person who told me what shutter speed to use and then shared their flashlight with me so i could adjust my camera settings, i was able to capture some memories. (next time, i need to bring a tripod. i can tell when people were walking down the stairs – i was using the railing as a tripod – by the look of the stars.)

if you’ve never seen the northern lights, i hope you get to see them someday. i’ve seen them many many times over the years (all here, in michigan’s upper peninsula) and they never grow old. they remind me of magic & wonder & all good things. and as my dad would say, “now here’s something that deserves the adjective awesome.”