Summer Solstice Sunset. Day 91

June 20, 2020. Sunset 8:34 (again).
San Francisco, CA.

Happy Solstice! I had dropped some bells and invitations into our nearby neighbors' mail slots last night. And this evening we were ringing in the Solstice with the summer fog.
It was so lovely - The big bell bonging away, and then in the interim: a tiny sprinkling of sparkly little bells. A few people in their the windows and on the sidewalks- ringing and talking to one another through our masks, neighbors we haven’t seen a while and some we’ve never met- waving from upstairs or across the road. So gentle and sweet and strong.
Day 91 Sheltering in place. --BH

Day 90 Juneteenth

June 19, 2020. Sunset 8:34 (again).
San Francisco, CA.

A quiet observation—even with bells and gongs.

Day 89 birds and people chatter

June 18, 2020. Sunset 8:34 (again).
San Francisco, CA.

Birds and people chatter-- closing in on the solstice.
Day 89 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. --BH

Pelican Parade

June 17, 2020. Sunset 8:29 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

This is one of my favorite Ocean Beach sunset shots because of all the pelicans. -- Elisabeth Beaird--

Day 88 waiting for the bell ringer

June 17, 2020. Sunset 8:34.
San Francisco, CA.

Day 88 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. --BH

Day 87 Taking turns

June 16, 2020. Sunset 8:33. (again)
San Francisco, CA.

My turn. Timing the bell.
Day 87 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. – BH

Day 86 Garbage night

June 15, 2020. Sunset 8:33. (again)
San Francisco, CA.

Way too windy to record. But a good time to take out the trash.
Day 86 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. --BH

Day 85

June 14, 2020. Sunset 8:33.
San Francisco, CA.

Like most days this week, it was cold and foggy all day until the last minute – even the wind died down for this moment.
Day 85 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. – BH

Day 84 Out of the wind

June 13, 2020. Sunset 8:32 PM (again).
San Francisco, CA.

Sunrise and Sunset were at the same times as yesterday- the rate of change in the daylight slowing down but still shifting through shorter increments of the day. I recorded from inside near an open window to get out of the wind and captured the quiet ticking of the clock along with the slower paced tolling of the bell. Calming.
Day 84 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. – BH

Day 83 Lightness

June 12, 2020. Sunset 8:32 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

For the next week, until the Solstice on the 20th, we will squeeze out only 2 more minutes of daylight. Slowing way down as we approach the vertex of our elliptical route around the sun. I picture this moment as that point when you throw a ball straight up into the air- just before it reverses course and begins to fall back towards the Earth. A moment of weightlessness. Lightness.
Day 83 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. – BH

Day 82 Ensemble reunion minus the bird

June 11, 2020. Sunset 8:31 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Thank you Elisabeth and Richard for joining us this evening. I hope the neighbors have come to appreciate the Chinese gong and Gankogui bell by now.
Day 82 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. -- BH

Day 81 Sun down wind up

June 10, 2020. Sunset 8:31 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

The sun came out just in time to go down as the wind came up. Otherwise, pretty quiet passing by.
Day 81 Sheltering in place from one end of the street to the other. --BH

Day 80

June 9, 2020.
Sunset 8:30 PM.

Day 79 Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth

June 8, 2020. Sunset 8:30 PM.
San Francisco, CA.
FYI Sunrise is at 5:47 AM every day for 2 weeks--- The light is stable for a moment.

Mardi came by this evening to read from Shakespeare’s Richard II:
No Fear Act 3 Scene 2 Page 6.

No matter where; of comfort no man speak:
145 Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs;
Make dust our paper and with rainy eyes
Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth,
Let’s choose executors and talk of wills:
And yet not so, for what can we bequeath
150 Save our deposed bodies to the ground?
Our lands, our lives and all are Bolingbroke’s,
And nothing can we call our own but death
And that small model of the barren earth
Which serves as paste and cover to our bones.
155 For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings;
How some have been deposed; some slain in war,
Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed;
Some poison’d by their wives: some sleeping kill’d;
160 All murder’d: for within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps Death his court and there the antic sits,
Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp,
Allowing him a breath, a little scene,
165 To monarchize, be fear’d and kill with looks,
Infusing him with self and vain conceit,
As if this flesh which walls about our life,
Were brass impregnable, and humour’d thus
Comes at the last and with a little pin
170 Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!
Cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood
With solemn reverence: throw away respect,
Tradition, form and ceremonious duty,
For you have but mistook me all this while:
175 I live with bread like you, feel want,
Taste grief, need friends: subjected thus,
How can you say to me, I am a king?

Day 79 Sheltering in place. --BH

At the same moment across the Bay…

June 8, 2020. Sunset 8:30 PM.
Vallejo, CA.

Elisabeth Beaird and Richard Marriott were on Mare Island. “We didn’t quite see the flash because there was a little hill in the way, but it’s gorgeous out here”.

Day 78

June 7, 2020. Sunset 8:29 PM (again).
San Francisco, CA.

Today is the 159th day of the year. We have been sheltering in place for ½ the year so far. (California began on March 17th)
Day 78 - shelter in place. -- BH

Day 77 So Windy

June 6, 2020. Sunset 8:29 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

The color of clean air. Mardi joined us this very windy evening of the pink, nearly full moon.
Day 77 - shelter in place. -- BH

Day 76 We missed you

June 5, 2020. Sunset 8:28 PM (again).
San Francisco, CA.

Strawberry full moon later tonight. Thank you Elisabeth and Richard for stopping by with your lovely gong and bell.
Day 76 - shelter in place. -- BH

6.5.20 Full Moon Sunset by Rae Diamond

June 5, 2020. Sunset 8:28 PM.
Berkeley, CA.

Bell, raspy-breathy voice, and wind as the sun set on the full moon day. Tried to match my voice to the wind...
- Rae Diamond

June full moon sunrise from Nancy Beckman

June 5, 2020. Sunrise 5:47 AM.
Berkeley, CA.

- Nancy Beckman

6.5.20 Full Moon Sunrise by Rae Diamond

June 5, 2020. Sunrise 5:47 AM.
Berkeley, CA.

Bell and voice as the sun rose on the full moon day. Recorded first thing in the morning, before me or my voice were fully awake :)
- Rae Diamond

Baker Beach

June 4, 2020. Sunset 8:28 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Land’s End — next stop-- Japan
- Thea Farhadian

Curfew lifted

June 4, 2020. Sunset 8:28 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Curfew lifted this evening. quiet talking on the street.
Day 75 - shelter in place -- BH

this was a new day

June 3, 2020. Sunset 8:27 PM (again).
San Francisco, CA.

listen
Day 4 - 8:00 curfew
Day 74 - shelter in place -- BH

Alyce’s little Pocket Bell

June 3, 2020. Sunset 8:23 PM.
Providence, RI.

-- Alyce Santoro

Happy Birthday dear Bill

June 2, 2020. Sunset 8:27 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Goodnight Bill.
Day 3 – 8:00 curfew.
Day 73 - sheltering in place.
Helicopters by the sea
-- BH

Counting the days

June 1, 2020. Sunset 8:26 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Sunset. Moonrise. Listen
Day 2 – 8:00 curfew.
Day 72- sheltering in place. --BH

All Through the Night...

June 1, 2020. Sunrise 5:53 AM.
Albuquerque, NM.

lots of police action last night - the prior night's peaceful demonstrations swapped out for fire and some looting. helicopters, active shooter. broken sleep, up late (4:45). by that time, the covid silence had a hold. enough japanese-blue behind the mountains to mark a line between the sandias and sky. partly cloudy - so still some confusion of horizons. partly cloudy here means miles and miles of mixed forms. by 5:30 the red comes, then a perfectly blank gray that shades to luminous electra. i'm at the stove stirring oatmeal when the sun drives parallelograms against the white wall, 6:16... much later than the posted sunrise-time of 5:53, but it takes the light that much time to climb the hills.

may the light in its own time break clouds and climb heights to find us in our valley, and imbue gladness and simplicity of heart.
Erik Ehn

Why a bell?

May 31, 2020. Sunset 8:25 PM. (again)
San Francisco, CA.

Why a bell?
Day 1 curfew. Day 71 sheltering in place.

Day 70 A Moment of Silence

May 30, 2020. Sunset 8:25 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

A moment of silence
-- BH

Day 69 Spitting against the Sky

May 29, 2020. Sunset 8:24 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

If only it were true...
Evil-doers who denounce the wise resemble a person who spits against the sky; the spittle will never reach the sky, but comes down on himself. Evil-doers again resemble a man who stirs the dust against the wind; the dust is never raised without doing him injury. Thus, the wise will never be hurt, but the curse is sure to destroy the evil-doers themselves. - Buddha
Thanks to Norman Tuck and Elisabeth Beaird for this evening's offering.
Day 69 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 68 Yellow Alien Flower

May 28, 2020. Sunset 8:23 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Summer is a coming in—cold and foggy. Plus one more minute of graylight.
Day 68 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 67 Solo Hummingbird

May 27, 2020. Sunset 8:22 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

The spreading of light is slowing down. Both the sunset and sunrise occur at the same times today as yesterday. A different slowing of the curve. Plus-- a special tiny guest this evening.
Day 67 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

A Charm of Hummingbirds

May 27, 2020. Sunset 8:41 PM.
Ironwood, MI
"I took this video at sunset. It is amazing as the hummingbirds eat a lot at dusk. You can hear them flutter and in the background is the sound of the Spring peepers. They are so loud and they sing beautifully"-- Kathy Roman

Amazing swarm of hummingbirds-- Something about last night brought out them out all over the place- We had just the one lonely little bird here in SF, but they were partying at Kathy's house in Michigan. Music by the "peepers".

Day 66 Out and about...

May 26, 2020. Sunset 8:22 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Going somewhere? Passing us by
Day 66 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

Did you see it? Eclipse Super Flower Blood Moon

May 26, 2021
Supermoon total eclipse--
IMAGES

Memorial Day- Thank you for your service

May 25, 2020. Sunset 8:21 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

In the past. Now. Thank you all.
Day 65 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.
This evening's observation- thanks to Elisabeth Beaird, Richard Marriott and Norman Tuck.
-- BH

Day 64

May 24, 2020. Sunset 8:20 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Day 64 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

A miracle?

May 23, 2020. Sunset 8:13 PM.

Check this beautiful sunset from Monterey County CA thanks to Popchak. It doesn’t get much better than this. Thanks Rich.
-- Joe Pokrifka

Day 63 Windy. No bird.

May 23, 2020. Sunset 8:19 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

So many people out and about today. Quieter now. Windy. No bird.
Day 63 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 62 quiet conversation

May 22, 2020. Sunset 8:19 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Quiet conversations up and down the street. Our bird enjoying the company.
Day 62 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other BH

Day 61

May 21, 2020. Sunset 8:18 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Another day- glad to be here to see it end.
Day 61 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Warm up act for the bird

May 20, 2020. Sunset 8:17 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Our star bird came by and started singing just after the bell stopped. Maybe she wants her own solo set. Spreading her wings? Listen to our intro for the bird.
Day 60 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 59 Two Songs Converged in the Air

May 19, 2020. Sunset 8:16 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Each chiming in at their own slow pace, the bird and the bell smash into one another for a moment. My favorite duet so far.
Day 59 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

sun event: 5/19/2020 8:04pm ...sound of two ravens

sun event: 5/19/2020 8:04pm ...sound of two ravens special day: sun peaking through a tree at sunset... berkeley, ca

I made this short video on Ariel's birthday - my favorite day of the year!
-- Wendy Reid

Look UP!!

Light! In the heavens...

The best time to view Swan will be at the end of May if it doesn't break apart first
May 15: Visible in the northern hemisphere: low on the horizon
May 17: Reaches its minimum elongation from the Sun
May 18: In Perseus and at its brightest and visible low in the northeast
May 26: Reaches its closest point to the Sun in its orbit and will move from morning to evening sky
Comet Swan

Day 58 Sparse Bell

May 18, 2020. Sunset 8:15 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Standing close by. LOUD!
Day 58 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

Day 57 Early Birds

May 17, 2020. Sunset 8:14 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Our neighbors Bernie and Mardi were waiting on the street even before we rolled the bell out this evening. The other birds must have taken the night off. Too windy?
Day 57 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 56 neighbor tracked down the bell

May 16, 2020. Sunset 8:14 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

We met a neighbor from another the block when she swung her bike around after riding past Norman as he was ringing the bell. She said she’d been hearing the bell for a while and was wondering where it was and why it was ringing at a different time every night. She took a turn giving it a swing and we were all pretty delighted. I hope she comes by again. It seems like we will be here doing this for a long time.
Day 56 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

Day 55 Six Feet of Separation Ensemble 3

May 15, 2020. Sunset 8:13 PM.
San Francisco, CA.


This time Beth Custer and her husband, Federico Cusigch (thank you for the video!), joined veterans Norman Tuck, Elisabeth Beaird, Richard Marriott (and the bird) of the “Six Feet of Separation Ensemble”. Maybe sound coming later…
Day 55 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 54 Norman takes a solo

May 14, 2020. Sunset 8:12 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Norman taking a solo this evening, while I took a quick break from an online concert to hang out the window for the sunset. Then back in for the rest of the program of Electronic Music works from our students—Congratulations!!!
Day 54 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

magic hour above Lake Superior

May 14, 2020. Sunset 8:27 PM.
Ironwood, MI.

“You never see “yellow” like this”.

“If the photo is enlarged, you can see the ground sparkle”.

“Going to bed but then took this. Oh boy. Walt Disney-ish”.
-Kathy Roman -

2020 May 13 Seattle Golden Chain Sunset

A beautiful golden glow reigns strong in this corner of my garden.

We planted this ten years ago.

The bees love it.

The land is hit by virus, but also the Murder Hornet.

A massive reminder - life is so fragile.

Fragile humans, fragile bees.

 But this moment.

Bees happily greet the golden locks of flowering joy.

And I happy, and healthy, rejoice.

~ Caterina De Re, Seattle 

Day 53 Even the bird pipes up

May 13, 2020. Sunset 8:11 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Catching up on the news. (Even the bird pipes up)
Day 53 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Day 52 drive-by Birthday party

May 12, 2020. Sunset 8:10 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Escaped balloons making a tiny crinkling accompaniment to the bell until the sudden Birthday honking song for our neighbor across the street!
Day 52 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other -- BH

Day 51

May 11, 2020. Sunset 8:09 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Here’s our bird on a wire…
Day 51 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.-- BH

Day 50 – Mother’s Day

May 10, 2020. Sunset 8:08 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Happy Mothers’ Day to all the mothers today. It’s been almost 25 years since my Mother and I celebrated this day together, and I've missed searching through that section of cards in the store every year. My mother was a lovely, funny and smart woman, and I enjoy thinking of her and celebrating her memory today in a world so different from the one she had known.
Day 50 sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. -- BH

Sunset in southeastern, Michigan

Sunday, May 10th, 2020. Sunset 8:43 PM.

- Maria Mykolenko

Day 49 - The Bird is back

May 9, 2020. Sunset 8:07 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

The bird is back – right on cue- in this tree.
Day 49 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.

Day 48

May 8, 2020. Sunset 8:07 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Fog! Preview of summer.
Day 48 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. From one season to another, t00? --BH

Day 47

May 7, 2020. Sunset 8:06 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Grateful for another day. Where's our bird ?Listen?
Day 47 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other. --BH

Full moon Sunrise on Thur 7 May 2020—Nancy Beckman

Sunrise 6:05 AM on Thur 7 May 2020. Berkeley, CA.
full moon sunrise from the garden
-- Nancy Beckman and Tom Bickley

5.7.20 Full Moon Sunrise by Rae Diamond

May 7, 2020. Sunrise 6:05 AM PM.
Berkeley, CA.

Bell & voice early in the morning, a few hours before the full moon peaked.
- Rae Diamond

Day 46 *

May 6, 2020. Sunset 8:05 PM.
San Francisco, CA.

Listen to the return of the “Six Feet of Separation Ensemble” with special soloist – that lovely bird—joining the big bell, Chinese gong and Gankogui. I really like that the bird has joined us lately. These guys are good together!
Thanks Norman Tuck, Elisabeth Beaird and Richard Marriott.
Day 46 - sheltering in place from one end of the street or the other.--BH