Eclipse turns the moon red, What a heavenly show!

This was taken when the eclipse was almost complete (300mm lens, ISO 400, F5.6, Exp 3 sec).   You could also see the star Spica (upper left) and Mars (lower R)

I took these from my back yard with my Nikon D7000 camera.  This is in the very early stages using 300mm lens, ISO 400, F-11, 1/60 sec

 Gary came over and brought his telescope which gave us a close up and personal view

I used a longer exposure here (F 5.6, exp 1.3 to 3 sec) and the picture above revealing details of the shadowed part of the moon

What an amazing sight when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up

This was so amazing and I'm glad I stayed up for it.  It made it more exciting that Gary came over, so we could share this celestial sight together.  We didn't really plan it in advance.  We were talking on the phone as we do each night.  I said, I'm going to stay up and watch the eclipse.  He said, OK, I'll come over and bring my telescope.  I knew he was interested in Astronomy, but didn't know he had a telescope. 

There will be 3 more Lunar eclipses in the next year and a half!

 I really had no idea what I was doing or what setting I should use.  I read somewhere to use ISO 400 which I wouldn't that thought to do myself, but it worked.  I kept that setting throughout and experimented with F stop and exposure time.  The longest exposure I used was 3 sec, but I must learn more about my camera because I couldn't figure out how to get a longer exposure than 3 sec.  I think the next lunar eclipse will be in October. 

DBE Garden Tea, Many came to share a cuppa

Tea table with garden patio in background ready for event to start

British, Australian and Canadian flag to represent countries of members of our Union Jack Chapter of the Daughters of the British Empire

Croquet anyone?

Denise reading Jules a story from the Australian bush.  I had this book when I was a child.  There is a child holding a baby possum in the book.  Jules wants to go to Australia so she can do the same.  I told her she could definitely hold a Koala.

Home made Jam from my kitchen.  The peach and apricot were from my trees

We had blueberry, current, raisin and apple scones.  We made about 280.  We had many work days to prepare for this.  We re-potted plants from our gardens for sale, planned details, all brought our beautiful tea cups, made scones and knitted tea cozies.  We had about 80 people attend.  It was our most successful fund raiser ever!

Part of my patio garden

Activity at the tea table.  Jana Benton guest, Elizabeth Vick and Karen Horton serve tea and scones.  Since many of our members are in their 90s having joined right when they arrived in the U.S. after WW2, friends helped in many capacities.  I think everyone, guests and helpers had a great time.  Thanks for all the help from those who are not DBE members! Does this look like fun?  Do you have British or British Empire heritage or are you married to someone with British heritage?  Join a DBE group!!! You can attend a meeting and decide if it might be your "cup of tea". 

Everybody had a good time!

Guests enjoying tea and conversation.  Elaine Shearer in the middle of the front table did the beautiful watercolors which were the main raffle gifts seen below

 

Buddies from way back.  Kathy (right) and I have been friends since 2nd grade when we used to walk through the cotton fields to get to each others houses. Kathy and I went to nursing school together.   Janice and I have been friends since 7th grade.  Janice lived just across the street and we were together 24/7 in grade school and high school.

My brother, Paul and my daughter Faye

Wallpaper plant holders with sweet violets

DBE member Coral, my Mum and Faye on front bench

Tea with scones, jam and whipped cream

My friends Connie and Don Larry pointing out an little inch worm to Jules.  She got brave and let it crawl on her hand and spent the next 15 to 20 minutes showing it to all the visitors.  Thanks for sharing this little creature with so many people, Jules

Faye, my daughter enjoying a cuppa

Helpers at tea table, myself, Cynthia, Elizabeth and Gail

Guests with tea, scones, home made jam, whipped cream (called Devonshire Tea)

Barbara Buchanan from another DBE chapter helped us by making sausage rolls and manning our sale table.  We sold tea cozies (English garden and Union Jack), scones, sausage rolls and books.  Barbara sold jam made by her DBE chapter as a fund raiser.  Which reminds me, this was a fund raiser for the British Retirement Home in Calif which is the main organization we give most of our money to.  It is a great cause.  We also give money to a local charity, in the past Chrysalis, home for abused women in Phoenix.

Denise giving Mitzie plant care information

Elizabeth, Granddaughter Marissa and Elizabeth's daughter-in-law

These are wrappers for potted plants made by a friend of Denise's from wallpaper samples

Tea table activity

Marie Garber my good friend from FUMC choir and her daughter looking beautiful in their hats

Mary Baker, our DBE fearless leader!

My girlfriend from 7th grade on, Janice Payne with Julian's art in background.  It's been great the past few years since she and Dave have become snow birds from Tennessee spending winters in Sun City.  We've been able to spend time together for the first time since college days. 

Brother Paul helped out by giving art tours and taking pictures

Faye and my Mom in the kitchen

Raffle Table was my Dad's old work bench from the old south Phx barn

Herb garden in raised bed which I can wheel into shade on hot days and cold nights

Table centerpiece (Peace Rose) with tea table and raffle prize table in background before event

Yours truly (left), my neighbor Cynthia Oplinger and Gail Reiley who is in my church Baby Prayer Shawl group serve tea

Gathering around the tea table. DBE member, Elizabeth Vick and her granddaughter, Marissa helped

My veggie garden and a pink hollyhock with my compost bins in which I put all vegetable matter from my kitchen, grass clippings, leaves from the garden layered with a thin layer of dirt to jump start the process.  I keep it wet,  Bob, my 80+ year old yard man turns it and wal-lah it becomes Black Gold the key to my garden success

Denise, our master gardener, pouring tea

The South fence with trumpet vine and wall paper containers for plants.  The trumpet vine is covered with large orange trumpet flowers which the hummingbirds love later spring, summer and fall.  When it's covered with flowers, it's a wonderful place to sit in the morning and evening to watch the hummingbirds swoop around.

My Rose Garden.  The pink rose in front is called Memorial Day and had a beautiful fragrance.  I also have JFK a white rose, Rio Samba a rose that starts orange then turns yellow and pink as it opens, a red rose called Lover's Lane, the Peace Rose and a yellow rose whose name I cannot remember  

Faye (right) gave house tours

Susie, Mum's neighbor took pictures

Paul took pictures and gave house tours