Milky Way

Whenever I am out, and the nights are clear (and there haven't been many of those lately), I take a look to see what is going on in the night sky. I look for planets, stars, constellations, and other objects I can name. The Milky Way is usually prominent. I remember one evening when I was doing a lot of star gazing, that there was an area I was looking to observe except there was a persistent cloud that was in the way. If only it would move a little or disappear, the viewing would seemingly be easier. It never did move. After awhile I realized it wasn't a cloud, it was the Milky Way, duh.
In the summer the Milky Way runs almost directly north/south. At this time of year it runs southwest to northeast. I've never been able to wrap my head around what is going on there, to see it in my minds eye.
A couple of weeks ago I was out looking around as usual. The Milky Way was in its usual fall/winter position, and I got it. If the stars that I look at in the southernmost section of the Milky Way are out of view to the southwest, then when they are present in the sky at this time of year, it's daylight. Suddenly it all fit together, and another of my celestial mysteries was solved.