A friend came out to visit last night and said – I could hardly find your place! Why don’t you have a yard light. I couldn’t see your house from the road. There’s no light.
All the farm houses around here have a big bright yard light so the whole of the environment is lit up and all the barns and out-buildings and houses glow like space stations. I let ours go years ago – I hated that light.
The bright light interferes with the circadian rhythms of my animals, I said. Guiding him across the dark quad to the barn. Natural sleep is important to health. An animal sleeps better with only the moon as her light. More natural.
I sleep with city lights all the time, he grumbled.
Well, that explains a lot I said, as he stumbled against BooBoo. BooBoo has a tendency to lean and I think secretly delights in gently tripping up visitors as he herds them along.
Watch that dog, I said – he is a heeler.
What do you mean watch that dog, he said quietly (the dark invites quiet speech), I cannot even see him. His hand dropping naturally to find Boos head.
Boo, leaned him a little to the left to avoid a water bowl as he stretched his neck longer to keep his head placed under the hand. Dogs are helpful like that. And they always know which is a persons dog patting hand.
Light won’t make you safe, I said.
But I turned the barn light on for them.
Everyone loves the barn at night.
Big Jude came through and displayed his most excellent sitting on command skills. FreeBee made a lot of noise but is not into tricks for visitors.
After a while the humans walked back up to the house and I turned out the light. Then Boo and I sat still in the gathering night quiet. To wait for our eyes to tune in. To turn into cats.
There is a stray black cat here somewhere – but it is very afraid. I have only seen it twice. Boo and I both want to find it for different reasons.
The house door slammed shut and the mens voices were gone. Boo and I sat a moment more; shape shifting into night creatures. Feral. All ears. Breathing the scents. Allowing the stars to come out from hiding and take their full shapes in the sky.
I do all my night checks without light. In the dark. Often lit only by the stars and a little moon. It is my own personal challenge to check the animals using all my senses. Only one of which is sight. But I do have very good night vision. I think some people have better night eyes than others. Night eyes take a moment. Don’t hurry it.
Like everything you need to give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the change.
We had a bit of a tear in the family fabric yesterday so my day started in the night. Everything was thrown up into the air as we scrambled into formation after the fright. The puzzle pieces of our lives landed with a bounce then slowly crawled back together like mercury in a saucer. We are whole again. All is well; for the moment.
I could lie back down and sleep again. Right this minute. Though I need to do my early morning check of the white chicks first.
Tonight a small crowd is coming out to eat. I hope that the night is clear so we can watch the stars after dinner. The stars are amazing at the moment. And you will remember; the sky has no secrets.
We give them all to her to hold.
I hear Quacker. Dawn is coming.
Have a lovely day.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
35 responses to “Kept In The Dark”
If the lights are on, it’s harder to see the stars!
Indeed! I prefer the stars for sure!
Sounds like you have wonderfully dark skies there Celi! How fortunate! We do too, thank goodness! The second Dark Sky Fest just concluded here in Northwest Arkansas, near Tyler Bend State Park. And the little town of Gilbert is a total dark sky town, all night lights covered and pointed down so the migrating birds, bats and all flying creatures can continue their normal lives. Hopefully more towns and cities will join the Dark Sky Movement so that all can once again see the incredible display of stars!
How wonderful that must be. And how Enlightened of the Deciders in your area, Diane and Jack, to join the Dark Sky Movement. I have never forgotten seeing the magical canopy of constellations & the Milky Way above me on the family farms of my childhood when there were not those giant lights of nowadays.
That must have been amazing!
I can’t sleep unless it’s really dark.
Can I see windmills on the dawn horizon?
Yes! Hundreds of them – springing up overnight it seems.
I thought I hadn’t seen them before!
They are breeding.
ROFL!
I grew up on a farm and noticed the dark skies. My parents gave me a telescope. The Moon, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and the rings, double stars, etc, are reasons I stayed interested in astronomy. Today, I live where there are too many lights. And, my eyesight is not so good. I rely on the talents and equipment of others. Thankful for them. 🔭
You should come and camp out in my big field! (With the cows) they get the best views of the stars! Isn’t it amazing how a childhood gift can enable a lifetime of joy!
I imagine your cows would want to look thru the scope and would knock things over. Hooves are a bit clumsy. Yes to the childhood gifts. Many people remark about getting started with a helpful nudge from someone.
Yes! That is how we start. Sharing ideas is wonderful.
Lovely look at the night farm world. Having older eyes it takes much longer for the adjustments to happen in dark rooms yet (or perhaps because of that) I rarely have lights on at night unless I’m reading a real book- which makes me think I need to put a small attachable book light on my list of things to consider. My little routine is my very small way of trying to cancel out a miniscule amount of light pollution.
The little light for your book sounds great. They are super handy in a black out too.
Yes, the idea is growing on me! It is on my list 🙂
I’m moved by the wisdom of this explanation of keeping off the brazen light. This is certainly one of your loveliest posts, Cecilia.
Thank you Pat! I did enjoy writing that post. No post today as I am back to the hospital with the matriarch again.
One of my favorite parts about visiting the farm now is that the sky is dark enough to see all the stars! I miss that in the city where I live. I have to say that my night vision is not as good as it used to be though. I don’t know if it’s my age or the fact that I’ve been living in a city for so long now. Maybe it’s both.
Maybe. My night vision is pretty good. But I go on night walks every night. It is particularly dark at the moment .
I love the (our) farms at night!
Yes! I love saying good night to all the animals last thing before going to bed .
“The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas.” No truer words were ever said back in the day. I loved the inky black of the night sky all lit up with Mom Nature’s little flashlights. We loved walking up and down the lane in moonlight that made the world so otherworldly. Now all that is gone. The strip mall did away with the pleasures of standing in our back yard–all heads pointed up. Children no long look up. The night is ruined by neighbors’ searchlight night lights. Blackout curtains are required for a decent night’s sleep.
Let us not forget the red and green and white and blue lights from all the electronics that are in a single room. There’s the light from the tv, the Apple Tv box, ROKU, the floor fan, the Mac, the strip, the iPhone, iPad . . . What I wouldn’t give.
Beautiful. We love our night sky. Our outside light has a dimmer control. If we need more we take a small torch or phone with us. Because there’s always the chance of encountering a death adder. But even here in our little rural village several neighbours think stalag style bigger brighter and or motion sensor outdoor lighting is better. It is not. I hope you have a good day.
Ok. I have never even considered encountering a SNAKE when I am walking so confidently in the dark!! 😂
I, too, do not use the dusk to dawn light on the pole in the farmyard. I have it turned off at the breaker, if I really need it it is there. I think if I wanted a street light I’d live in town.
Right? I simply don’t know why they all have them – beaming out all night. I love that it is dark. Plus a person (or animal) just doesn’t sleep well in bright light like that.
I believe a lot of it is for security. It may deter predators both human and animal, especially with the possibility of the theft of fertilizer components.
Add ‘no light pollution’ to your many blessings. Soon no one will know what it is like to have darkness and see the night sky.
I hope you can see the stars from your place. You strike me as a person who would sit out under the stars and ruminate.
Remember the night sky of the southern hemisphere? That great swathe of glow from the Milky Way, horizon to horizon, and always knowing where the Southern Cross was, and the Pointer stars? I still get to see that sometimes, when we head up the Great Dividing ranger and inland, away from all the lights and the people and into the wide empty land. I’ve never understood this addiction to light at night. I will happily walk around the dark house or yard with no light other than ambient moonlight and be content. The Husband will follow me around, turning on lights and ruining my night vision!
Ha ha!! Yes! I can’t tell you how many lights I turn Off. Even during the day!
How are you I wanna know everybody here
Yes please am new here how is everything going on here