Good luck… We went out twice last night - first, didn’t really see much (or thought we didn’t see much), and came back home, looked up on Twitter (I know, but whatever), and thought maybe we should try again. Did so, used phone camera on night setting, and started to see it coming through in pictures. A little “dull” at first, then the intensity and vibrancy came. And also became visible with the naked eye (though not the same vibrancy). Stayed at least half hour out there looking up. Clear sky, worst case scenario would be just to see a few stars and the crescent moon.
Below are a few early thumbnails. The, “I think there is something there” moment came with the first lot, we persevered.
At this intensity, could now see where to point the phone.
We had a great display in West Yorkshire, but to the naked eye it was much more pale, almost grey. Thank goodness that the camera sensor ‘sees’ the radiation differently!
Everbearing? I made the mistake of planting just June bearing strawberries in one of my raised beds so it’s great for a few weeks then nothing. I’m debating on tearing it up or trying to mix in ever bearing strawberries.
I think postcards are becoming almost a niche thing in certain respects, just like writing a letter to someone. I think people generally focus on their ‘digital footprint’ and are willing to spend more time taking pictures on a digital camera (or phone), writing emails, posting on social media. Certainly no one in my family is a letter-writer and they wouldn’t ordinarily think of sending a postcard to someone.
I do it because I am deeply interested in it. It appeals to me so much, for many different reasons. It makes me happy. I suppose, although I may be wrong, that it will continue to appeal to the few rather than the many. I think it’s also worth considering the price of postage and things. I mean, a 1st class stamp us now…£1.25? For a lot of people it won’t be worth it.
Sorry, but it’s more than that even. It’s been £1.35 since the start of last month.
Re shops selling postcards, I went into a little village store/post office down on Romney Marsh yesterday and found a box of postcards, illustrations of the village, 75 pence each. I wouldn’t normally spend that much on a postcard, but they’re buildings I’ve known and admired well for a long time and so I bought a few. There was one person behind me in the queue, a man in his 40s, and guess what he bought as well? Yes, he had gone into the shop specifically to buy one postcard. I wonder if the shopkeeper was taken by surprise by this sudden run on his postcards.
It’s nice that he went in JUST to buy a postcard. I would spend 75p on a postcard, indeed more. I try to limit the number I buy because they do get expensive, but I like to have duplicates.
I buy a lot of books as well. I could easily spend £100s on them in one go. I have to AVOID bookshops and stationers at times because I know I’ll buy stuff if I go in.
£1.35? Yikes. And that’ll probably increase if they sell RM. It’s all about making money for these big companies. Maybe if things like postal charges and stationery wete cheaper people would send more, write more.
The don’t think postcards and letter-writing will ever stop, but I think it should be encouraged more. I love it when I receive something someone’s taken time out of their day to produce just for me. Maybe, with things like Postcrossing, we will see a revival?
For now, I’m glad that I’ve found a like-minded group of people. MY people.
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