I’m feeling a sparkly blue-moon-dust kind of excitement for 1010. Not only was it a big full BLUE Moon last night but there was a partial lunar eclipse as well. We had a rather blustery night and a blurry sky which kept my dinner guests and I inside the cozy cabin for the evening’s festivities. No one expected to stay awake ‘til the New Year after stuffing ourselves with elk spaghetti. Felicia blew out the bright pink candles on her chocolate birthday cake, we drank more wine, and the sky brightened. Sometime after 11 pm, the wind quieted enough to entice us out…and UP…to Leroy’s Lookout. Toting plastic sleds, we plodded up the mountain to the humble little cabin I used to call home. Perched on top (and cabled to the rocks) the plywood shack is where I lived my first winter on the Wineglass Mountain. Memorable.

We heard thunder, twice before reaching the cabin. I have never heard winter storm thunder before. I didn’t even know it was possible but the thunder added another rather auspicious punctuation point to the old year/new year night. Three of us toasted at midnight with Jack Daniels Snow Slushies. We hung out on top of the world and swapped stories while the fire crackled and the Coleman lantern hummed. The valley stretched bright below. Livingston lights twinkled. The moon stayed mostly obscure in a winter white sky but grew potent enough to cast shadows.

Magical.

We bundled up and headed out into the moon shadows. We’d stashed the sleds under a tree near an edge of the mountain top saddle. I lined up in my sled and led the way down the steep slope. Many years ago when I lived up there, I would sled down each morning in a cheek reddening rush while Shiva practiced her border collie herding skills and tried to nip my snow boots. The slope is long and steep with curves and a sharp switchback. We all screamed with glee (and fear) while the dogs barked in the moonlight.

Laughing, sliding, and bumbling along, we made it back to my cabin at 2 am without any serious injuries. I packed up birthday cake for my guests, took a handful of Ibuprofen, and crawled under the covers with a cold butt and a heart which glowed warm with blue moon dust.