As the World Turns

Sunset 8:23 PM. May 14, 2016
Kansas City, MO

You'd think traveling at 750 miles per hour would feel faster than this... Sunset at La Esquina Gallery in Kansas City, MO during a recent presentation and performance. At this latitude it takes a little more than 2 minutes from the time the bottom of the sun touches the horizon until it completely disappears.

driving around in my automobile

Sunset 8:03 PM. May 5, 2016
San Francisco, CA


Cinco de Mayo non-celebration as we drive around and around looking for parking while the sun sets.
Best wishes for a celebratory day!

The birds have it

April 15, 2016
Sunrise 6:51AM. Holt, Michigan. 

Good morning! Listen to those birds! After five inches of snow last weekend, I am finally beginning to believe spring is really here.

posted by Wendell

Little Wedding Bells

Sunset 7:41 PM. April 10, 2016
San Francisco, CA


Celebrating the 3rd sunset of a lifetime of sunsets together for our friends Paul and Toni-- just married!!! Blessings and congratulations!!!!

April Challenge

Happy Birthday Mom

Sunrise 6:57 AM. March 30, 2016

My mother passed away 20 years ago, and today would have been her 83 birthday.
I especially like this photograph
Happy Birthday Mom, and hello Nan - I miss you.

Longer Days Are Here Again! (almost)

March 17, 2016
Sunrise and sunset both at 7:18
San Francisco, CA

Slice the day in half

Happy Equilux and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

End of Winter??!

Sunset in Holt, Michigan on 3-16-16 at 7:46 pm on a very windy day.- WH

nothing spectacular, but still very wonderful

Sunset 6:04 PM. March 2, 2016. 
San Francisco, CA 

A slight slice of the sunset c/o my dear friend Ching who wanted to document this evening in commemoration of of her last visit in 2008 when we rang in the sunset by the Golden Gate Bridge.

March Challenge

Radical sunset for the last day of this month of February... We've had several deep red sunsets lately, and they're always kind of a thrill. This was taken in Oakland about fifteen minutes after the actual sunset time of 6:02.

posted by Juliayn Coleman

Happy Leap Day 2016!!!

Sunrise 6:43 AM. February 29, 2016 
San Francisco, CA. 

This is the 3rd Leap Day since beginning dailybell in 2008 (also a Leap Year).

Some fun “facts” about Leap Day:

This is the 4th Leap Year of a Leap Century. Leap centuries occur every 400 years.

And if that’s not enough info, try this.

FYI- Past leap days for the dailybell:
Leap Day 2012 Sunset
Leap Day 2008 Sunrise
Leap Day 2008 Sunset

Even the Water is Red

This is sunset yesterday (15 Feb 2016) viewed from the CSU East Bay University Library.

-Tom B

A Year of Sunrises

A Year of Sunrises (February 12th)
At first the overcast mornings disappointed -
only a soft creep of light -
what a letdown after the brilliant orange and pink of yesterday.
Now the invisible dawn of a foggy morning
is its own kind of miracle.

from Yogi Erin in Montana

February Challenge

Lucky Red and the Fire Monkey!

February 8, 2016.
Sunset 5:20 PM. 


Lucky red colors everywhere this sunset - just in time to celebrate the New Year of the Fire Monkey!

Early Dog Days

February 3, 2016 
Sunrise 8:02 AM. Barcelona 

(From Barbara Held)

Here's a sunrise for you - the first one ever for me! And then I can't find where I wrote down the thing for putting it on the blog...anyway its my street, early dog walk.

waiting for the groundhog

February 1, 2016.
Sunrise 7:07 AM.

Morning trains running over the Williamsburg Bridge after a quiet weekend off for repairs. Many thanks to Linda Montano for the grand bell and for the January Challenge. The monthly challenge for February is brewing…

One of the big ones!

January 23, 2016
Sunset 5:01 PM- Brooklyn.

Big snow! woooooooooo


FYI: check out these other big blizzards of note

my first dailybell

Sunrise 7:45AM. Waldport, OR

Thanks Wendell-- beautiful place and lovely bell

The First Snowfall this Winter

January 17, 2016. Sunset 4:54PM. 
Brooklyn, NY 

Better late than never-- The first snowfall of the winter in Brooklyn. Looking (through a very dirty window) at rush hour traffic on the Williamsburg Bridge, my friend Ana and I accompany the sunset.

And the days grow longer still…

The Calendar Challenge

Each New Year's Eve, I've recommitted to the daily observation of the sunrise and sunset. The original premise- that it is possible to affirm our connection to one another and to the natural world through participation in a shared, elemental experience hasn't changed.

As each new year dawns, I like to come up with a different way to invite others to join the project. 2016 is a leap year, as was 2008 when the project began. It seems mildly auspicious and a good excuse to propose something major.

SO—Entering this 9th!!!! Year--Would you consider joining me with a daily practice of sunrise and/or sunset watching of your own?

Each month we will offer up a new challenge for observing the sunrise and or sunset.


At the end of the year, we will have a calendar of sorts, made up of whatever media, questions and musings have occurred along the way.

Opening up at Both Ends!

January 10, 2016
Brooklyn, NY

The sunrise has finally begun moving earlier after 10 days of sitting at 7:20AM here in Brooklyn.

Sunrise 7:19 AM. Broadway- Brooklyn, NY

Listen to the rain this morning.

Sunset 4:46 PM. Looking towards the East River. Broadway- Brooklyn

AND... the first sunset of the year

Sunset 4:38 PM. January 1, 2016. 

from Brooklyn.


Good evening!

first sunrise of the year- from Brooklyn

Sunrise 7:19 AM. January 1, 2016
Brooklyn, NY

Good morning!


Happy New Year!!

The January Challenge

Many thanks to my inspiring friend and artist Linda Montano for this month's challenge.

This is it:

January Calendar Challenge:

DAILY BELL FOR YOU 

PLEASE JOIN ME IN RINGING A DAILY BELL 

HOW? FIND A SMALL MEDIUM OR LARGE BELL 

WHAT ? GREET THE SUNRISE OR SUNSET IN YOUR PART OF THE WORLD 

THEN? LET ME KNOW HOW LONG YOU WANT TO DO IT OR JUST DO IT. 

THANKS

Happy 2016- the 9th year begins!

Ringing in the New Year! (from summer solstice sunset bell ringing at Chapel of the Chimes)


The dailybell project/practice has been quietly amazing- despite the bells.

Each New Year's Eve, I have decided to recommit to the daily observation of the sunrise and sunset, and this year is no different. The original premise- that it is possible to affirm our connection to one another and to the natural through participation in a shared, elemental experience hasn't changed.

However, as each new year dawns, I like to come up with a different way to share the project. 2016 is a leap year, as was 2008 when the project began. It seems mildly auspicious and a good excuse to propose something major.

SO--Would you consider a daily practice of sunrise and/or sunset watching yourself? 

There are only 2 things you need-
   1. Keep this link handy
   2. Remember to stop for a minute or so when the time comes.

There are many ways to go about it. Quietly as a personal practice. Invite friends (and strangers) to join you. In public or privately.

Eight years may sound like a long time, but as far as the dailybell goes, it's been oddly timeless.

Finally, for anyone who is interested in participating but doesn't want to commit to a daily practice, I am setting up a monthly calendar on this blog and on the dailybell sunwatch FB page. Each month, I will issue a different challenge/invitation for observing the sunrise/sunset that you might enjoy performing.

Happy New Year! Brenda

PS- Here's a photo from the first sunrise at the beginning of the project on Jan 1, 2008

Greetings from Fairyland

December 18, 2015.
Sunset 4:52 PM. Oakland, CA


We’ve passed the dip into the earliest sunset and are on our way up! However the sunrise is still outpacing the sunset, also moving later each day- so the daylight continues to shrink. But only for a few more days. We can almost hold our breath now.

In the meantime: here's a chance to celebrate the sunset at Fairyland in Oakland with the Pacific Boychoir.

Happy Holidays!

The light IS coming!

November 29, 2015.
Sunset 4:52 PM. San Francisco, CA

Almost at the low point. We are approaching the lower end of the curve for the earliest sunset of the year.

At this latitude,  the sunset has lingered at the same time for several days in a row. And at 4:52PM, it’s one minute away from the earliest sunset, which will occur on December 1st.

The sun will then continue to set at 4:51 until mid December, when it will tip forward and continue to creep later into the evening.  However, the days continue to grow even shorter until the Solstice because  the sun continues to rise later and later each day.

The light is coming!

Where have all the goblins gone?

October 31, 2015
Sunset 6:13PM. Oakland, CA


Halloween madness with some amazing birds and a couple of princesses- one ballerina and one with a bucket.

First sunset

October 29, 2015 
Sunset 6:15PM. Alameda, CA 

 
Farewell my dear friend. I'd hoped to find or be somewhere nice at sunset this evening, but I was in my car in an unfamiliar neighborhood- So this is it- an ordinary street on the first sunset with no Sally in the world.

Blood Moon Total Eclipse- (you just can't see it yet)

September 27, 2015. 
Sunset 7:01 PM. San Francisco 

Today was the day- Sunrise and sunset were both at 7:01-
slicing the day in half.
I lured Norman and my nephew Paul from Montana up onto the roof with the expectation that we would all see the partially eclipsed blood moon rising opposite the sunset this evening. Too bad there were all those buildings and trees in the way. The plan was to watch the sun set into the ocean (fog along the horizon obscured that) and then to turn around and see what would have been a 3/4 eclipsed moon rising behind us.

Well, you can imagine it, and it was really nice up on the
roof anyway.

The last few minutes of light

September 23, 2015. San Francisco
Sunrise 6:58 AM Sunset 7:07 PM

Fall Equinox (equal day and night at the equator). At this latitude, however, we still have a few extra minutes of light.  Our day of equal light and darkness- the Equilux- arrives on the 26th or 27th depending on the source. Stay tuned.

Celebrating Sunset #25,568

Sunset 8:04 PM. August 15, 2015
San Francisco


How many times has the sun set during your lifetime so far?
Norman was born on August 14, 1945,the day Japan surrendered to the Allies. We celebrated his birthday this evening while he was out enjoying one of his favorite things: driving around in his car. 
Happy 70th Birthday and Happy 25,568th Sunset!

Old friends- vicarious sunset

Sunset 6:00 PM. July 2, 2015
Quepos (near Manuel Antonio), Costa Rica

From Joe: Here’s where I was standing-

Joe was one of my brother's best friends, and they spent many a wild day together in their youth before setting down to family life. We have stayed in touch since my brother passed away several years ago, and here is a sunset Joe sent from a recent family trip to Costa Rica.

The last of the latest

July 3, 2015. Sunset 8:31 PM
Brooklyn, NY

This it: the end of the latest sunsets (10 in a row) for the year in Brooklyn. Now we begin turning in towards less light from both ends. Fortunately, it still feels like a lot of light and the progression is pretty gradual. Plus the kids still have a lot of summer left and don’t really care about any of this.

Speaking of kids, there is some ecstatic bell ringing and little Doppler near end of this.

Congratulations Mia and Neil

June 27 2015. Sunset 8:31 PM
Long Island City, NY

Wedding bells!

Solstice Sunset at Garden of Memory

Sunset 8:34 PM. Oakland, CA
June 21, 2015

ckusalsa from YouTube shot a better quality video than I did so I hope they don't mind my sharing it here. The whole evening was amazing. Many thanks to Sarah Cahill and all the other performers who made it possible.

And hooray and thanks to all who participated in the sunset bell ringing. What a fabulous noise!!

Happy Summer Solstice - loud and clear!

Sunset 8:34 PM. Chapel of the Chimes 
June 21, 2015. Solstice. Oakland, CA  
My video of the sunset bell ringing didn't turn out too bad after all so here is another view of the sunset observance. It was really great!

Earliest Sunrise Bottoms Out

June 10, 2015 

Sunrise 5:47 AM. San Francisco, CA

Beginning today and for the next 9 days, the sunrise will be at its earliest moment for the year (at this latitude). By the Solstice, it will already have been rising later, squeezing daylight away from the morning side of things.

I love how this happens. The longest day is on the Solstice, but that is not because it is the earliest sunrise and latest sunset of the year. It’s not that symmetrical. Check out this chart from 2008 to see how rates of slowdown and expansion work for each end of the day and enjoy the sound of the earliest sunrise of the year. (It’s been the same every year so far)

Listen. It was raining this morning!!!

If you are interested in finding out when sunrise in your location “bottoms out”, go to sunrisesunset.com and plug in your location.

May Day May Day

May 1, 2015

Sunrise 6:15 AM.

Although it may seem trivial or silly in the light of the tremendous weight and darkness and horror of what is happening in the world, Lucy, my goldfish of 20 years passed away recently. She outlived 2 companions, several tumors and spent the last year and a half partially paralyzed from a stroke. An enthusiastic eater and cheerful companion to the end - we miss her.

Sunset 7:59 PM

 
The Cardew Choir celebrated their 14^th Anniversary with a concert this evening at Berkeley Arts. Named in honor and in the spirit of Cornelius Cardew, the ensemble is deeply committed to values of community and egalitarianism and May Day is an especially significant day as it commemorates International Workers Day. As always, I enjoyed the ensemble’s well-rehearsed performances and commitment to their original ideals and inspiration. Many thanks for beginning the evening with a sunset bell ringing!

Anzac Day 2015

April 25, 2015. 

Sunrise 6:21AM. Nobby’s Beach, New Castle, New South Wales

This sunrise video was taken by my friend, Lynne Piade at the Dawn Service commemoration of Anzac Day. Originally a day of remembrance for the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915, Anzac Day is a day of observance for all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all the “wars, conflictsand peace keeping operations”.

Good Morning Austin!

April 23, 2015. 
Sunrise 6:56 AM. Austin, TX.

Thank you Ginger Miles for this quiet, green morning. So many birds!

dirty cars and parched earth

April 22, 2015. Earth Day. 
Sunset 7:51PM. San Francisco.


My little piece of parched earth.

Is it Spring yet? Please

April 6, 2015
Sunset 7:24 PM. Brooklyn, NY 

Even though I announce the time and call it the sunrise- it’s really the sunset. 7:24 AM happens in deep, dark winter. And today felt like the tipping point into Spring- No buds on the trees yet and I know there will be one more snowfall this month (there always is) but it felt great!
I love these bells.

Light Balance

March 18, 2015

Sunrise and Sunset 7:04. Brooklyn, NY

  

This Friday, March 20^th we celebrate the first day of spring and the vernal Equinox. And unless you live at the equator, you should also be able to celebrate the fact that we have already passed into longer days. It may be only by a minute or two, but we’re headed into the light.

FYI-Another bonus is the supermoon that will rise on the evening of the 20^th. And if you live on the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, you will have a great view of the total solar eclipse during the day. (partial eclipse location info here)

It’s an unusually big kick off this year- Happy Spring!

PS Nice photos of the supermoon

Sprung ahead 2015

March 8, 2015

Sunset 7:09 PM. San Francisco, CA

Well, this is the first of many sunsets in what has become the predominant time schedule for the year. Every year brings an outcry to kill off the sudden jolt to DST. However, as we now spend almost 8 months of the year observing Daylight Savings Time, while making only a brief nod to what used to be Standard time during the darkest days of the year, it doesn’t seem very likely we will stop. 

I do like the idea of a smooth, continuous cycling through the year- with no abrupt changes. But, which way would we go? Where would we stay? In Standard Time with earlier sunsets in the summer? I really enjoy those late night twilights. Or in Daylight Savings Time, where if we maintained it during the winter, it would still be dark at 8:00 in the morning.

SMIP: Syntex Made It Possible

March 4, 2015

Sunset 6:05 PM. Woodside, CA

Besides the revolution in reproductive freedom for women, the work and legacy of Carl Djerassi continues to make many things possible- including this gentle moment. Pauline Oliveros makes this sunset offering during a gathering at the Djerassi Resident Artists Program as part of the 20^th anniversary of Other Minds. 

  

More quiet times...one month later...

February 15, 2015

Sunset 5:34PM. Lambertville, NJ

 Sitting in same chairs. Watching same TV. Dog still sleeping.  What's changed? It's much colder outside. The sunset is 45 minutes later. There are 3 of us (besides the dog) ringing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (instead of Blue Bloods). 

Waking up the groundhog?

February 2, 2015
Sunrise 7:05 AM. Brooklyn, NY

Snowy and dark. No groundhogs in sight. Not a bad idea.

Quiet times

Sunset 4:58 PM. Lambertville, NJ

Just sharing a quiet moment at sunset in New Jersey with my dad, his friend’s poodle and Blue Bloods.

PS- If you would like to subscribe to the dailybell this year by contributing your own observations, please let me know by leaving a comment here. I will add you as an author to that blog and you can post as often as you like.

2015 Subscription plans

Today is the beginning of the 8th year of the dailybell!

This year, I would like to invite you to subscribe to the dailybell by making a non-monetary contribution.

This subscription is one where you contribute by pledging a day or series of days to observe and share a sunrise and/or sunset of your own. All you need to do is observe the sunrise/sunset of your choice and share it in some way. 

If you like, you can let me know that you would like to subscribe and I will add your name to those with posting privileges. Then you can post it yourelf, directly to the dailybell subscription blog. Please include at least the date, time and location. Any other information would be great!

Or you may want to share/post it with other dailybell observations on the dailybell sunwatch page on Facebook (if you have an account). 


THE SUBSCRIPTION PLANS:
1 day per year- good plan for commemorating a birthday, anniversary or dedication
___ sunrise
___ sunset
_________ date

1 day per month- a nice way to track the seasons and change of light
___ sunrise
___ sunset

1 day per week- dedicated practice
___ sunrise
___ sunset

daily- diehard
___ sunrise
___ sunset

As often or infrequently as you like
___ sunrise
___ sunset

If you would like to be a regular contributor and would like a reminder, please let me know.

Sunrise Sunset Calendar: Type in your location and it will tell you the times the sun rises and sets wherever you are.

New Year's Eve on Broadway in Brooklyn.

January 1, 2015. 

Followed by sunrise at 7:20AM from the same intersection. Ghost sounds of celebration linger into the morning.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and fun 2015!

Season's Greetings!!

the tiny turnaround...

The sun set during my rush hour commute on Dec. 15 at 4:52 PM.  It was the first day of the turnaround, where the sun finally began setting later even as the sunrise continued to do the same, only at a faster pace. (Hence the still shrinking days). 

Now with the Solstice just past, we are surely heading towards the light. Hopefully with the holidays upon us, we can momentarily skip the daily commute and celebrate the season.

Best wishes and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Brenda

Bottoming Out!

November 30, 2014

Sunset 4:51 PM. San Francisco

Tonight is the earliest that the sun will set this year (for this latitude, at least). It will continue to set at 4:51 PM for the next 12 days before it once again opens up the day and begins to set later. All of this before the Winter Solstice. How can this be, you may ask. Ah, well :) The daylight continues to shrink because the sun is still rising later each day- eventually culminating on the shortest day a few weeks from now.

I love this graceful and uneven approach to the Solstice and hope you enjoy this little factoid as much as I do.

Whereforartthou?

October 4. Sunset 6:49 PM. Oakland, CA. 

photo: Tom Djll

The sun set during the load in and sound checks for the 17th Annual Music for People and Thingamajigs Festival- held this year at the Temescal ArtCenter. Congratulations and many thanks to everyone. It was a fun evening.

Goodnight Bill

Sunset 6:53 PM. October 2, 2014

5 years gone. We miss you Bill.

Happy Autumnal Equilux 2014!

Sunrise 7:01AM. Sunset 7:00 PM
September 27, 2014. San Francisco, CA

TADA!

At least for this latitude—Everyone further to the North, it’s coming your way!

This is the place where the iceman used to enter the house to make his deliveries. It’s a quiet zone that doesn’t change much from morning to evening and so it seemed an appropriate choice for this day of equilibrium.    

Tipping away from the light...

Sunset 7:08 PM. San Francisco
Sept. 22, 2014

I decided to head down to the mailbox at sunset because there is a nice view of the ocean from that corner and I thought it would be nice to actually see the horizon at sunset for a change. Just as I opened the mail slot, a woman and her young son approached the corner and asked me why I was ringing the bells. The little boy wanted to ring them and we chatted for a bit. “Do you want them back?” Ah. Since I had just run out of the house to mail the letters, I hadn’t thought to bring anything with me except the 2 special bells I chose for the occasion, and I had to reclaim them. Good reminder to always carry extra bells…

Late bird...

August 26, 2014. Sunset 7:49 PM. San Francisco

Slipping into the meditation garden for a quick goodbye to the day.

god morgen from Skomvær

Sunrise 4:45 AM. August 18, 2014. Skomvær Island

Greetings from Rachel Trapp, rising early during her residency in the Lofoten Archipelago in Norway. It looks too cold for summer…

watching and waiting

August 2. Sunset 8:11 PM Minneapolis Airport.

An a oddly serene moment enroute to San Francisco.

A noisy farewell

August 1, 2014. Sunset 8:13 PM. NYC.

Sharing a nice meal with Pauline Oliveros, Ione and Bun Ching Lam after saying goodbye to our wonderful friend and colleague, Jenneth Webster. Jenneth ran the Lincoln Center Out of Doors for decades and there was a memorial for her earlier this evening at the Lincoln Center. We miss her. So here’s a noisy send off from a momentarily dyslexic me- (all I captured was a brief snippet of the sound in the restaurant) --

Two for the Road

Two offerings this month:

July 16, 2014, ? ?

The audio was from sunset on July 16- exact time and place unknown- as it happened while I was onboard an airplane. My best guess is that it was around 9:00 and over Ohio somewhere. It was a spur of the moment documentation, and I just opened my iPad and played a little piece on the Tibetan Bowls app. I could barely hear the bells above the plane noise, but I think it turned out OK.

July 25, 2014. 8:19PM

I figured that first one was kind of cheating somehow and so I am also including a view of ColossalMedia’s mural of the winning photo by High School student Steven Paul.  It’s on Broadway just by the Williamsburg Bridge. It’s my favorite mural that’s been on that building so far.

A joyful noise!

June 21, 2014. Sunset 8:34 Chapel of the Chimes. Oakland, CA

Even though the Solstice has passed, the sun continues to set a bit later, reaching its apex (at this latitude anyway) on 6/26/14. Then the sun will continue to set at 8:36 for another week before reversing direction and joining the sunrise to shrink our daily dose of sunlight. Here is a snippet of this year’s Solstice celebration from the Garden of Memory at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, CA. A hundred bells, the Cardew Choir and the general din of 1000’s of people greeting the summer—

Thank you Rose for the amazing bell.

FYI The NY Times published an article challenging our association of light with all things good- including the relationship between the amount of sunlight and mood.

Memorial Day Sunrise

May 26, 2014. Sunrise 5:52 AMSan Francisco, CA

A quiet audio observance for Memorial Day.

Have a blessed and peaceful holiday.

(This was my co-observer this morning)

Garageland

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sunset 7:43 PM. Daly City, CA

Exciting news for all skywatchers

I thought I'd use this evening’s sunset update as an opportunity to alert/remind everyone of an exciting planetary event that will occur overnight this Monday into Tuesday: a total lunar eclipse - the first of a series four consecutive total eclipses – 

This series, called a tetrad, will occur over the next 2 years and will be visible from North America. Because the eclipse turns the moon red, it has been called a Blood Moon. 

It also coincides nicely with Passover and Tax day.

FYI

Biblical references to the Blood Moon  

FYI

Total eclipse times- various cities:

East coast 3AM (4/15/14)

West Coast Midnight tonight

St. Patrick and the Equilux

Sunrise 7/19 AM Sunset 7:18 PM
March 17, 2014
San Francisco 



For the sunrise I usually face east for a more direct view of the change in light. However, knowing that I was going to document both the sunrise and sunset, I decided to face the Pacific Ocean in the morning. And there was the moon! Hanging over the sea, on it’s way down.

So here is a nice view from the middle of the street on the day of the nearest balance of light and darkness as we approach the Equinox. To find out which day the Equilux occurs at your latitude- click here and enter your location.

Do you see the flare at sunset? Can that be the “green flash”? I have only seen it through a camera lens. Has anyone ever seen it with his or her bare eyes?

On the move into the light- Happy Spring!

Saving it for what?

Sunsets: March 8, 2014: Sunset 6:09 PM
March 9, 2014: Sunset 7:10 PM
San Francisco

One view. 2 days.

I hate when this happens. 

Welcome to Daylight Savings time. Again.

In loving memory-- Sheila Kaplan Davis 1954-2014

March 4, 2014 

Sunrise 6:38 AM. San Francisco

My grandmother lived above her grandmother’s store when they were both raising their children. Her mother and my mother would get on the phone after dinner and keep each other company the rest of the evening until one of them fell asleep. Sheila and I were born within 3 months of one another (she was younger as she would want everyone to know). We got into a lot of trouble together in High School and then saw one another sporadically over the years. I always felt close to Sheila and took our special connection for granted.

I found out last night that she passed away after a long illness I knew nothing about.

It was with great sadness and regret that I observed the sunrise this morning and dedicate this moment to my friend’s memory. Goodbye Sheila. This world is a poorer place without you in it.

Sunrise on the Horse!

January 31, 2014
Sunrise 7:15 AM. San Francisco

I wondered if we could actually hear the moment when the sun crosses the horizon.

(In this recording it happens during the passing of the streetcar at 7:15 AM)

Happy New Year of the Wood Horse!

the back way to JFK

January 8, 2014. 
Sunset 4:45 PM. Brooklyn, NY

Riding to the airport on all the little back streets in Brooklyn during rush hour. The driver was amazing. I had no idea where we were but he just whirled and twirled his way along. The tiny buzz of the various radio voices inside the car and the hum and thunks of the tires on the roadway were so inviting that I decided to record it along with the sunset. The photo was really an afterthought.

Happy 2014!

Twirling around in the middle of the street scanning for the sounds of midnight as we tick over into the new year. Warmest wishes for your health, happiness and heart's desire!

This marks the beginning of the 7th year for the daily bell. wooo.

Happy Solstice 2013!

December 21, 2013. Brooklyn, NY
Sunrise 7:16 AM Sunset 4:31 PM 

This is a little bracket of the shortest day of the year- observed through my kitchen window by the Williamsburg Bridge. 

FYI The sunset time had flattened out for several weeks while the sun continued (and still does) to rise later each day. That's why the days were still shrinking-- not because of a closing in from either end. By this time next week, the sunrise and sunset will be moving away from one another once again and what has been a very slow creep into darkness will start to open much more rapidly into the light.

So Happy Solstice- And here we go again!

First time in 125 years!

November 28, 2013. Albany CA. 

Sunset 4:51 PM

A once in a lifetime (or 2) convergence of Thanksgiving and Chanukah. Celebration at sunset. Happy Holidays!

All Souls Alert!

Remembering the Dead ... (and also to turn the clocks back)

sunset 10-31-13 6:13 PM

I was planning to capture the sunset on Halloween 

and the sunrise the following morning on Day of the Dead. (That’s also All Saints’ Day, which has quite a different flavor than Dia de los Muertos, especially here in San Francisco).

sunrise 11-1-12  7:35 AM

But then I had a quick peek of the last bit of sun sinking into the ocean that I saw from the Safeway parking lot on what we use to call “Mischief Night” – the day before Halloween. So I grabbed that, too.


sunset 10-30-13 6:14 PM

Today, November 2^nd is the third day (All Souls' Day) of Hallowmas—traditionally a period in many cultures dedicated to remembering the dead. So I make this little 3-day offering in that spirit (even though the whole thing is shifted by a day).

The fact that we turn back our clocks later today, on All Souls Day, seems especially significant somehow- gaining an hour of life (which most of us will happily sleep away).

Happy Equilux?

San Francisco: Sunrise 6:57 AM; Sunset 7:08 PM

This week we tip over to the dark side.

As you can imagine, it’s not possible for everyone to experience the equal division of the day into light and darkness on the same day. That event only coincides with the equinox at the equator. For everyone else on the planet, it depends on where you are located.

If you would like to know when you will experience the balance of light and dark, have a look at www.sunrisesunset.com. You can enter your location and see which day has the sunrise and the sunset separated by 12 hours. That will be your Equilux. 

(Did you see a green flash? Just before the sunset titles? The moment of sunset?)