Earth and Skye

The air is starting to turn cooler here in Iowa. I am keeping my eye out for change in the foliage color. The first to turn is the soybeans in the fields, and I saw a few patches of yellow on Thursday. Although summer’s heat has faded, the evenings are still pleasant enough for long moonlit walks with the dogs. The moon this week has been simply amazing. It turned full just the other day, shining with a bright, blue glow that drenches the countryside in its magical spotlight. I was amazed to see my garden lit up like a jewel at 2 in the morning. And Jupiter, a steady white spot in the southern sky, has been riding along with his daughter Diana all week. I have been able to enjoy this celestial spectacle because I recently worked a string of night shifts, adopting a temporarily nocturnal schedule. The lack of normal sleep is worth it- my walks with Skye and Denali through this dreamy landscape are about as vivid and enchanting as any real dream could be.

Saturday, however, I had a real dream- one of the most amazing dreams in recent memory. I had nestled myself into the angle of my sectional leather sofa, with my trusted guardian Westie, Skye, at my feet. The pain of the previous evening’s ER shift was settling in my head: the drunks, the assaults, the suicide attempts. The best therapy for 8 hours of sorting through the worst of human anger and neurosis is a long and peaceful sleep. On this wonderful, beautiful, bright and clear Saturday, I looked forward to washing away a night’s work with a long journey through the dreamscape.



My dream began with Navy pushing Ohio State to the brink in the Horseshoe. Then Iowa blocking not one but two last-second game winning field goals by Northern Iowa. My dream went on, becoming more bizarre: I saw Michigan win a season opener. Then, Notre Dame displayed a potent offense. I dreamt of a USC starting a true Freshman quarterback, and looking good while doing it. The dreamscape turned south- I saw Cowboys beat up on Bulldogs and set up themselves for a run at the title. Then, the dream turned nightmarish- Sam Bradford falls awkwardly onto his throwing shoulder, tearing ligaments, diminishing chances at a repeat Heisman trophy, and crushing BCS hopes for the Sooners. At the same time, there was triumph: BYU pushed the Mountain West Conference just a little closer to ending the monopoly by the BCS’s big six. In the few precious moments just as the dream ends yet reality has yet to become lucid, I saw Bama struggling with Virgina Tech and LSU being tested by Washington.



I can only hope for more of this dream season!



Fight On,

Hans



PS: The current full moon, although occurring in September, is not really be the Harvest moon- its too early.  The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest the Autumn equinox (September 22), and that’s when the majority of the harvest actually happens. Depending on the source you read, the current moon is the Corn moon or it doesn’t have a real name. This is the one year out of three when the Harvest moon will occur in October. (October 4th, when I visit Kurt in Boston for some moonlight pints of Guinness in the North end)