Featuring Uniquely Big Bend Beautiful Night Skies.
Over here in Big Bend, West Texas, we have views in abundance.
When the sun sets it may surprise some that the views – even in “darkness” – is something to see. Something to witness, admire, and be in utter awe of. It is a world beyond your imaginings.
Just my little two cents.
“You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light.” ~ Edward Abbey
But do you have sky wonder? Sky love?
“Historical accounts from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century explorers bear witness to this fascination with the immensity and personality of the expansive skies. As diverse as the land beneath its ever-changing face, poets and artists spanning the centuries have paid homage to this restless continent above. Forever the source of inspiration, spirituality, exhilaration, anxiety, and sometimes even unbridled terror, the sky generates this odd mixture of emotions for many reasons, not the least being its unpredictability, a trait which probably endears the sky to many. In spite of our race to control the environment, the sky still remains a wild and untamed force.”
~ Wise and thoughtful words by widely acclaimed photographer Wyman Meinzer from the preface in his Texas Sky
My little ones have sky love, so we are on a journey through the solar system. I put together a post with the resources that has given us some firm ground to bloom from: Free Resources for Desert Night Sky Love! Parenting is a lesson in being patient and observant – my take again. So, I try to be at the ready for the moment their spark ignites. There is a whole world of resources out on the World-Wide-Web, so I hope my sharing will be of some help for those who were like me initially – completely in the “dark” about Astronomy.
Night photography is a total murky blur for me. The learning curve is an intimidating journey that I haven’t quite started yet. I am an amateur photographer with my Nikon ~ golly every day I figure that I am an amateur in many things and it is exciting as well as nerve-wracking. I look up at the sky and it is all so enchanting and inspiring – but I take out my camera and I get nothing. *snap-snap* — Nope, nothing to save. Unlike so many awesome captures that I have encountered. I tell my little ones every day, “Most everything if you really want to accomplish them – all it takes is perseverance and determination.” — There is no other path for me with talk like that, huh?
Gotta stay sickly optimistic. Gotta do like the “little engine that could” and keep chugging along. Here I feature captures that keep me motivated. Captures from our Big Bend desert of West Texas.
Here’s a diddy that I absolutely adore and felt it was fitting for this Desert Night Sky occasion.
Stars by Grace Potter And The Nocturnals
I lit a fire with the love you left behind
And it burned wild and crept up the mountainside
I followed your ashes into outer space
I can’t look out the window, I can’t look at this place
I can’t look at the stars
They make me wonder where you are
Stars, up on Heaven’s boulevard
And if I know you at all,
I know you’ve gone too far
So I, I can’t look at the stars
All those times we looked up at the sky
Looking out so far, we felt like we could fly
And now I’m all alone in the dark of night
The moon is shining but I can’t see the light
And I can’t look at the stars
They make me wonder where you are
Stars, up on Heaven’s boulevard
And if I know you at all,
I know you’ve gone too far
So I, I can’t look at the stars
Absolutely awesome moment in the Davis Mountains, Fort Davis — McDonald Observatory. Their star parties are epic!
Click image for gallery by Clark Crenshaw
Click image for gallery by jenesuispasbavard
Click image for gallery by Darren Huski.
Click image for gallery by Darren Huski.
Click image for gallery by Arun Rao.
Click image for gallery by Jordan Baker.
Click image for gallery by dfikar
Click image for gallery by James Reil
Click image for gallery by Justin Jensen
Click image for gallery by Sergio Garcia Rill
Click image for gallery by Sergio Garcia Rill
The next couple of panoramas need full screen viewing for maximum effect!
I highly recommend clicking on them to see their full glory on Flicklr.
Your eyes will thank you!
Click image for gallery by Sergio Garcia Rill
Click image for gallery by John Chandler
The following are features from Instagram galleries. Click on their Gallery name on the top-left of their image and if you are logged in to IG you can easily follow their amazing views.
Here’s a remarkable video sharing the night-scape of camping out in Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Camping – Big Bend Ranch State Park from Terence Tang on Vimeo.
Here’s a peak at my Desert Wish List for you Night Sky lovers:
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@ 2016 Vi Dotter/My Desert Love Designs & Blog All Rights Reserved.
and as always Sharing is Caring . . .
I love the night sky. We live in the middle of nowhere and the night sky can be so amazing. Beautiful photos.
Amber recently posted…Quitting Birth Control – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.
We actually are on a state park with the destination called “the other side of nowhere” 😉
Thank you for sharing this amazing virtual nighttime adventure! One of the best things about living in the country is being able to better see the night sky without the glare of streetlights. One of the odd “benefits” of power outages is no electric lighting detracts from the beauty of God’s impressive nighttime displays.
K. Lee Banks recently posted…Leaping Into Spring – Leaving February, Entering March
I think we have the same perspective on life – taking things as they come and realizing that pretty much everything can be listed under “it’s just awesome” — girl I don’t even live on a street – no street lights for us!
Its hard getting those kind of stars and skies in the city nowadays. I only see skies like that when I go to the province. Those are gorgeous and I love that it just makes you believe in magic once again.
I was a city girl once upon a time and it was a different world. It was a blur with so that I felt needed to be done – I think you really need to escape in order to set your priorities straight and find that “magic” that lies within you.
Wow that is so beautiful! I love watching a good thunder and lightening storm but we don’t get many in Carmel, CA. Your pictures make me want one! Or to go camping.
Doran @ Haute Beauty Guide recently posted…Neon…
Oooh – California deserts and parks have been in the news lately! I bet a tank of gas will get you some camping! 😉 I was raised in SoCal – I recall how difficult it was to get around! So glad to share the love with you Doran.