Totally Awesome!

 Hey, did you hear there was an eclipse happening on Monday?  The eclipse craze yesterday had everyone worrying about crowds that would result in no gasoline, food, toilet paper (of course) and places to stay. The weather had everyone on edge too.  What if it rained or was too cloudy to see anything?  Well, God gave us perfection here in Ashland, Ohio were we were excited to be in the path of totality with sunny skies.  Over the weekend there were activities going on in our downtown that I'm sure had store keepers and restaurant owners excited about sales.  Heck, even the Oscar Myer wiener mobile was here!  I didn't see it but it was here according to Facebook.  On Sunday I took Annabelle on a quick walk at the cemetery and on the way home I drove down main street. Shops and restaurants that are usually closed on Sundays were open and cars lined the street and parking lots.  Other than that I noticed no other crazy, crowed activity or problems.  Schools were closed Monday.  I found out they closed for really only one reason.  If schools were open and kids went outside during the eclipse and didn't wear protective eyewear than the schools could get in trouble or perhaps sued.  So keeping the littles at home put that problem to the family to deal with.  Jack closed  his office at noon and Jordan's company also closed early.  The hospital stayed open of course but surgeries were done by noon and I know employees were heading to the helicopter landing on the roof to observe the eclipse.  My sweet next door neighbor had sent out invites to the whole street to come to their place to watch and she provided sandwiches and drinks for everyone.  We all brought stuff to share too.  Nothing like a party on a Monday afternoon! When you see my pics to follow you'll understand why their yard was a good place to be.   At 2pm we trudged up their driveway and set up our chairs and gathered our special glasses.

It's hard to tell from the photos but they have a nice hill and view of Ashland and the horizon.

The crowd was gathering and anxiously waiting.

Jack in his fancy eclipse glasses.  Not like our paper ones!

This little guy was ready!  Soon the air had a definite change as the sun was slowly changing.  The temps were  in the 70's but soon it was at least 10de cooler.

Slowly getting darker.

As the sky got darker, our neighbor's horse and alpacas slowly started going toward the barn as if it were dusk soon to be night.

Darkness comes in the day.  I had never seen an eclipse and this was just so cool to watch the darkness descend, the air cool down, people's solar lights going on and the lights in town turn on.

See the lights in the distance?

Pitch black.  

My photos don't due this spectacular event justice.  I was in awe the whole time.  I wish I could really capture the total awesomeness of this.  I didn't think to take a video..silly me! I was just too caught up in what was happening around me.  Everyone there was just blown away by the whole thing.  The main phrase? This was so cool!  The same reaction from everyone I talked to at work today that saw it...it was so cool! 

Slowly the sun started to reappear.  The temps rose back up and the animals came out of the barn.  I know everyone that was with us on that hill felt the magic of the few minutes this lasted.  With all the technology of our time and how smart we think we are, it just takes a 3-4min act of God and nature and the heavens to make us believe in something much bigger and more wonderful than ourselves.  Maybe that's a bit over hyped but I'm so glad I was able to watch this.  I may never see another.  I guess we're suppose to have another in 20yrs.  I'll be 91 and perhaps will view it from a heavenly seat with no need for special glasses...no matter how fancy they may be!