storm & stars

Sunny & cooler. We had some severe thunderstorms last night, gray clouds scudding across the skies at warp speed. The storm had barely started when a large tree fell across our driveway. When the rain subsided, I went out to saw it up, and carelessly got my saw bound up in a tree branch. Just about that time, my neighbor from the other side of the creek showed up. I asked him if he had a chain saw to help me out of my "bind." He went home, got his saw, and helped me dismantle the tree. Later that night, as I was out surveying the arboreal carnage, another neighbor showed up with his son to see if we needed any help. Apparently the Dufners had also called to check on us. Either I am the town incompetent, or we live in a place where neighbors look out for each other.
The power had gone out during the storm so when I woke up during the night, I got up to turn off the lights still burning. A light was on in the garage so I went out to turn it off. The waxing moon had set, and the sky was very clear. The Pleiades was rising in the east. It was the first time I had seen it in months. Even though I hadn't yet put on my glasses, I recognized it. Walking out to the garage, I saw a satellite arcing from south to north directly overhead. A couple of shooting stars flashed across the sky. Looking to the south, there was something very bright hiding behind the trees. I walked further out into the yard to get a better look. It was the planet Jupiter. It was so bright it didn't even look real. I was reminded of the night last year when we went camping at Upper Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park, when Venus was so bright that it was visible through the walls of the tent. I turned off the light in the garage, went back to bed, and slept soundly 'til morning.