Full Moon and Sunrise- December

December 29, 2020. Sunrise 7:24 AM. El Cerrito, CA.

dailybell2020 · 12.29.20 Full Moon Sunrise

“Bowing a bell with a rough cloth while singing a slow ascent as the sun rose on the last full moon day of this crazy year.”
- Rae Diamond

Full Moon and Sunrise- November

November 30, 2020. Sunrise 7:05 AM. El Cerrito, CA.

dailybell2020 · 11.30.20 Full Moon Sunrise

“A high and low chime with vocals as the sun rose on November 2020's full moon.”
- Rae Diamond

Seattle Sunrise November 3, 2020

Rain, rain. 

More rain. 

A Seattle Winter Solstice, 

a sunrise, 

a sunset and a great conjunction. 

The planets dance. 

A difficult year like we could never have imagined... 

is finally, ending, crashing. 

Light. 

Is.

~ Caterina De Re

October 31, 2020. Sunrise 7:34 AM. El Cerrito, CA.

dailybell2020 · 10.31.20 Full Moon Sunrise

“bell and voice as the sun rose on a full moon halloween day.” - Rae Diamond

Day 195

October 2, 2020. Sunset 6:50 PM. San Francisco, CA.

“Quite a rag-tag group.” - NT
Sheltering in place with friends and neighbors

sun late over billboard

October 1, 2020. Sunrise 7:01 AM. Albuquerque, NM.

“sun late over billboard. 7:21 am
Harvestmoon giant rise that night
Oct 2/1”
- Erik Ehn

Seattle Sunset 9/20 7:11 PM; Sunrise Equinox 6:30/6:57 AM

Thick wildfire smoke descends along the West Coast.

It passes here. 

The great RGB passes. 

Another heavy cloud descends. 

Equinox and the seasonal change, bringing changes.

~ Caterina De Re

Day 177

September 14, 2020. Sunset 7:18 PM. San Francisco, CA.

This is a celebratory moment. Our next-door neighbor is back working on his car again now that it’s possible to see and breathe again outside. Hello to Matt from across the street and thanks, Norman for holding down the fort.
Day 177 sheltering in place

splitting the horizon

September 14, 2020. Sunset 7:05 PM. Brooklyn, NY.

Ringing. Sunset from under the ground (through a very dirty window)

Hannah from Upstairs.

Day 176

September 13, 2020. Sunset 7:19 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Norman said the air is better today.
Day 176 sheltering in place

covid tests available, bags not so much

September 13, 2020. Sunset 7:07 PM. Brooklyn, NY.

As soon as I arrived, my niece and I went for COVID tests around the corner. Unlike many places in the Bay Area, it’s so easy here in NY. This is us celebrating the results with a quick trip to the grocery store. Also, unlike California, they want you to supply your own bag. Hence the armload of goodies along with the bell.

Day 175

September 12, 2020. Sunset 7:21 PM. San Francisco, CA.

The air is white with fog and smoke— better looking but still not so good to breathe.
Day 175 sheltering in place

dining like it 2019

September 12, 2020. Sunset 7:08 PM. Brooklyn, NY.

Clusters of sidewalk dining at sunset. Looks pretty- scary.

Raining Ashes

September 11, 2020. Sunset. 7:22 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Raining ashes on 9/11. Remembering. Still mourning.
Day 174 Sheltering in place.

September 11 Sunset

September 11, 2020. Sunset 7:10 PM. Brooklyn, NY.

Arrived. Just parked the truck. Walking home- grabbing my mask and bell just in time.

Day 173

September 10, 2020. Sunset 7:24 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Our neighbor Matt – stalwart company in spite of the stay indoors warning for air quality.
Day 173 Sheltering in place.

bugs with our bells

September 10, 2020. Sunset 7:43 PM. Gates Mills, OH

Our last evening together, Lucy and I walked out to the meadow to ring with the insects. We sampled two more bells from her grandmother's collection.

Day 172 the color of air

September 9, 2020. Sunset 7:25 PM. San Francisco, CA.

The air this evening at least looked like it might belong on the planet Earth and not Mars as it did earlier in the day. However, it’s such a super white eerie light that I’ve never seen before—It seems to be this combination of the super bright LED streetlights overtaking what would be the fading ambient daylight. Those dark shadows. And the masks tell the rest of the unbreathable air quality story. No end in sight.
Day 172 Sheltering in place.

Turkeys Gone Home

September 9, 2020. Sunset 7:44. Gates Mills, OH.

This is where the 7 turkeys hang out during the day. All clear in the evening, making way for the crickets’ concert. These are the same bells we rang last night.

Day 171 Smoke

September 8, 2020. Sunset 7:27 PM. San Francisco, CA.

Smoke. Masks are serving double duty here these days.
Day 171 Sheltering in place.

“whoever touches me hears my voice”

September 8, 2020. Sunset 7:45 PM Gates Mills, OH.

Final stop before the last leg to New York. Visiting with my friend Lucy who lives near fields and woods filled with the voices of crickets and grasshoppers and has turkeys wandering around in her flower garden. Her grandmother’s middle name was bell and (coincidentally?) she ended up collecting many, many bells. We rang two of them this evening — one was a replica of a St. Mark’s monastery bell inscribed in Latin - “whoever touches me hears my voice”.
Lucy’s mother used it to call Lucy and her siblings into dinner when they were children.

Day 170

September 7, 2020. Sunset 7:28 PM.

Labor Day ---Our neighbor Matt- a day off from Zoom and school- v e r y relaxed… Day 170 Sheltering in place.

Portage Anyone?

September 7, 2020. Sunset 7:11 PM. Port of Indiana/Portage, IND

After driving East for miles and miles with the sun shooting straight into the rear-view mirror and nothing else to do—I’ve gotten pretty good at estimating how much further I can drive before the sun hits the horizon. On cloudy days, it’s harder to tell—the light just starts to fade, and things become greyer. Such as this evening-- I pulled off the freeway and noticed this sign which turns out to point the way to one of 3 major Ports of Indiana. This one is for The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, where there is a major power plant.

Day 169 introducing-- the bell

September 6, 2020. Sunset 7:30 PM. San Francisco, CA.

“How’s it going?
Very hot and smokey here.
Bernie, Mardi and Matt came".
Day 169 Sheltering in place

4-armed bell ringer

September 6, 2020. Sunset 7:28 PM. Ironwood, MI.

Kathy’s son, Sam took this photo of the 4-armed bellringer returning from ringing down the sun over the lake. We all met in the far north of Minnesota 20 years ago when Kathy and her young (at that time) children participated in a traveling vaudeville project that I was doing there. We have been friends ever since, though have not seen each other once since then. Nobody wants to wait another 20 years to do this again. I'll miss you guys in the meantime.

Day 168

September 5, 2020. Sunset 7:31 PM. San Francisco, CA.

“no one came. Keep well, Love Norman”
Day 168 Sheltering in place

bells for dessert

September 5, 2020. Sunset 7:30 PM. Ironwood, MI.

Dinner on the porch at sunset. Actually, we’ve eaten all of our meals outside today. Another fine dining experience- wonderful friends and special venue overlooking Lake Superior. Bells for dessert <3

DAY 167 arty

September 4, 2020. Sunset 7:33 PM. San Francisco, CA.

When Norman agreed to take over the evening bell ringing at home, he asked how he was supposed to ring and document at the same time. I said the most important thing was to ring the bell on time and then just snap a photo either before or after. “What should I take a picture of?” I suggested that he include the bell if he could and not to make it too “arty”.
So, this is the photo from this evening, and here’s what he wrote in the email with the photo attached. “Hi. No one showed up. Photo attached. All I can do is ‘arty’, I’m afraid. I did go to art school”.
Day 167 Sheltering in place

a Superior sunset

September 4, 2020. Sunset 7:32. Ironwood, MI. Just made it in time to watch the sun set over Lake Superior with my friend Kathy and her son, Sam. It’s amazing to be standing there in what until now has only been a beautiful looking landscape and to be breathing the air (not smoky), listening to the wind in the very tall birch trees--and looking at that view for real! Hoping to see a few hummingbirds tomorrow.

Double Duty Day

September 3, 2020. Sunset 8:07 PM. Valley City, North Dakota.

Coming down the home stretch of a 1000-mile drive—the final 5 hours! Riding on HWY 94 East, the sun was blasting in the rear-view mirror from the west. It was a no brainer to grab the phone/map/music player and hold it up to the mirror and snap this shot. Then drive for hours into the darkness.

Day 165 Community effort.

September 2, 2020. Sunset 7:36 PM
San Francisco, CA.

I love seeing friends and neighbors carrying on the tradition while keeping Norman company. The constant bleakness is in such contrast to the places I pass through. It’s weirdly grounding, though. Home.
Day 165 Sheltering in place.

Resting off the road

Sunset 7:57 PM. September 2, 2020.
Emigrant, MT.

Ringing bells again with Lisa and Will at sunset, just before another delicious meal in the most spectacular venue ever. There was zero wind this evening, so I recorded Will’s bells, while adding a few little tinkly sounds of my own.

more fresh air

September 1, 2020. Sunset in North Crescent Bay Park in Laguna Beach at 7:15 from Elisabeth Beaird and Richard Marriott- also seeing the sun for a change.

Looks so nice-- The ocean is a miracle.

Day 164 forlorn

Sunset 7:39 PM. September 1, 2020.
San Francisco, CA.

Cold. Cloudy. Lonely. (such a contrast with this evening in Montana). Sorry Norman.
Day 164 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other -- BH

At ease- Emigrant, MT

Sunset 7:58 PM. September 1, 2020. Emigrant, MT.
Staying with my sister Lisa and Will for a few days before hitting the road again. Will made those bells- if it's not too windy tomorrow, I'll record them-- delicate and pure tones. Dingdong- M3 doorbell interval
This was sunset from her front yard. You can't see it, but the Yellowstone River runs down there long before you hit those mountains in the distance.

Day 163 San Francisco. Day 2 Cross Country journey- Idaho

August 31, 2020. Sunsets- 8:39 PM San Francisco/ 8:04 PM
near Pocatello, ID.

It’s so good to see our neighbors from across the street who have been putting up with the bell ringing since 2008—Thank you for keeping Norman company! Hello to Bernie and Mardi, too.
Day 163 Sheltering in place.

I miss our sunsets on the sidewalk. Here is a photo of the Sunset at 8:04 PM from the highway 86 between American Falls and Pocatello ID. Traveled today from Reno- heading to Emigrant, MT to stay with my sister.- BH

A smoky sunset

August 31, 2020. Sunset 7:36 PM Pacific Grove, CA. A smoky sunset

from Thea Farhadian

Day 162 Norman takes over

August 30, 2020. Sunset 7:4o PM.
San Francisco, CA.

THANK YOU Norman for holding down the fort at home, ringing the big bell on the sidewalk with Bernie and Mardi this evening.
Day 162 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other.-- BH

On the Road to new Jersey

AUGUST 29, 2020
I'm heading East to be with my father for his 91st Birthday on September 16. He is quite frail at this point and I want to be near him in the event that he needs any help. Since there is no way in hell that I am getting on an airplane, I figured I would take advantage of the road trip to stop and visit friends and family along the way.

I'll be following the northern route through Nevada, then into Montana to see my sister- Onwards to Michigan to visit my friend Kathy who I haven't seen in 20 years since the old Vagabond Vaudeville Days - then onto Ohio to stay with Lucy Chamberlain, my dear friend, Ann's sister. I love everyone along the way here and am looking forward to spending a few days with each of them.

There are a few holes in the itinerary and friends of friends have graciously volunteered their yards, garages and spare rooms for me to stay in overnight I find that overwhelmingly generous and brave these days in the face of covid and the unknown conseuqences of proximity. Many thanks and love to everyone --

I'll be posting along the way.
In the meantime-- Here's a little movie of my father, Hannah and Prince -- a favorite moment of mine-- I hope you enjoy.

Day 161 bon voyage

August 29, 2020. Sunset 7:42 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Thank you Bernie, Mardi and Matt for joining us this evening- It was pretty nice – the grey fog MINUS the smoke. I’m looking forward to clearer skies as I make my way across the US. I need to go to New York to see my father-- I am driving and camping out in the backyards of friends and family between here and there— COVID safe as possible.
Norman will continue to hold down the fort here – ringing the big bell on the sidewalk every night. I will also be ringing every sunrise and sunset across the Northern US, sharing them as we share the sky --- (but not with actual daily documentation)😬
Day 161 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH

Day 160 big bell little bell

August 28, 2020. Sunset 7:43 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Our cat opened the window sometime in the night (yes she can do that—long story) and we woke up coughing from the smoke this morning. The streetlight is on early as it’s darker than usual at this time. Greetings from both of us!
Day 160 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH

lulu on a cloudy day

sun event: 8/28/20 7:44 - lulu, clouds, waiting for a sign of sun 7:48 - …still waiting berkeley, ca...on my porch - wendy reid

Day 159 new observer

August 27, 2020. Sunset 7:45 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Elisabeth and Richard joined us again this evening. We seem to have attracted a new fan – the dog two doors down who usually barks all the time- was watching from his window. He seemed interested and calm for a change. Noisy must be his native tongue.
Day 159 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH

Day 158 almost ready for Prime Time

August 26, 2020. Sunset 7:46 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Another dark sunset. This one was brightened up with a few new visitors who brought more bells and gongs. This incarnation of the Six feet of Separation Ensemble actually found their groove AND an ending. It was a joyous moment - (Listen) Thank you guys! Elisabeth Beaird and Ora Shulman on gongs, Richard Marriott and Dan Harder on gankogui and Norman Tuck on the Big Bell (as usual).
Day 158 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH

Day 157 fancy footwork

August 25, 2020. Sunset 7:48 PM.
San Francisco, CA.



A few hours of lovely, relatively fresh air made lingering outdoors possible. Thank you to Thea from across the Bay and Matt from across the street for joining us this evening. (Nice foot technique)
Day 157 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH