LOOK TO THE SKIES...

In 1980, the year of the massive eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state, our sunrises and sunsets for some time afterward were spectacular, even here in Ohio.

And, whether or not it was a coincidence, that was the year I also saw the most spectacular version of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) I have ever seen.

Late one night, my middle boy came tip-toeing in to wake me.

"Mom, you have to come out to the deck," he whispered. And sure enough, the aurora borealis was swirling all over the sky. It turned into a night-long show! We opened our chaise lounges and didn't go inside until it was almost dawn.

My neck hurt for days, but it was worth it.

We were surprised the next day to hear nothing in the news about the Northern Lights display.

So keep your eyes to the skies. You never know what you might see; and whether you might be the only person privileged to see it.

R.A.T. (Rose About Town) hopes to be treated at least one more time, before I leave this world, to a full-fledged performance of the Aurora Borealis.