It was a moonless sky tonight but filled with stars-many brighter than I remember them. It was rather breathtaking when I got out of my car after work this evening and looked up. I often wonder what it looks like up in the night sky if I was up there floating around in space. Would it still be as breathtaking? Over the weekend on NPR’s show Radio Lab (I think it was this show) they presented a story on the two Voyager space crafts and the record that is on them. It was a great story. Scientists believe the space crafts will leave our solar system either as I am writing this or within three years. I think it will be exciting when they do and follow them on Twitter. So hopefully I will know when they do. As I look up in the sky it is amazing to me the Voyager space crafts were the first to take color pictures of Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. My favorite picture is when voyager had passed Neptune and Pluto and under Carl Sagan’s urgings the cameras were turned back towards earth and a picture was taken. It’s the pale blue dot photo that can be seen today. Cassini did the same thing two weeks ago and took a picture of earth from Saturn again we are a dot though a bigger one than when taken from Pluto. I often wonder what does it look like to be near Saturn and see all of it’s moons and the rings up close or to see Jupiter and it’s red spot. I think sometimes my mind is more in space than here on earth.

I am fascinated with nature and it’s diversity. I think it is why I love to photograph nature-butterflies up close, trees, horses, dogs, cats, flowers, sunrises, sunsets and life in general.
I took the butterfly photo at one pet sitting job this weekend where butterflies were flying all over. I took the dragonfly photo at a different pet sitting job that had so many dragonflies flying around that a few bumped into me as I tried to take photos of them. I wonder what I look like up their hundreds of eyes.

I think the reason I love nature so much is I feel a connection with it that can be hard to explain. I feel like nature communicates with me and I it. Nature does not give up it’s secrets easily but when you can make a connection with another creature who does not speak your language, think as you do and looks quite different, it touches my soul and I wonder if it is a god connection. I find it difficult to sit in church and be with God. I know many people who find comfort in church. I find I am closest to God communicating in nature and looking up at the stars. Over the weekend I was buzzed by a hummingbird and a bat. I felt honored by it and did not feel the desire to control either one but just share their space. I used to love being at the farm and walking out into the field to just be with the horses. Sometimes they would want their space but others they would all come up and take turns getting attention from me. I grew close to one horse who then would help me at times get everyone else in. We communicated through our minds. I had a great connection with a ewe and a hen too. I was crushed when the hen died. She was a character and would meet me at my car when I arrived abs would follow me around like a dog.

Being a pet sitter I grow quite fond of the animals I care for and five are nearing the end of their lives. I have been learning a lot from them during their end of life issues and how they deal with life. Lately when I visit them they are all happy to see me-a thump of the tail, a purr, a lick and a sigh. One cat I’m not so sure is happy to see me, he bites me when I pet him he bites me when I leave him alone. He has his opinions. We talk a lot though as he is a talker.

I have been trying hard to work on my personal relationships and hopefully they will become as natural to me as communicating with nature is but until then I struggle.

I am looking forward to a ballon festival in my town this upcoming weekend. I look forward to taking pictures and being around the balloons. I have no desire to go up in one.

Do you communicate with nature? Does it communicate with you? What do you think space looks like if you could safely go explore it?