Night Again

Here is the chimp once again, flailing in front of his typewriter, banging keys for my amusement, making noise but not a masterpiece.  Today's mission, up early to travel east of Emerald City to try and glimpse Comet Catalina.   It is almost blistering cold this morning in December.  Out by the old school, funeral home, American Legion building there is a country road that will serve as my headquarters.  Coordinates for the elusive comet kinda, sorta in my head.  Clear skies, warm truck, my gear at the ready.   

I present this first picture not because it was crafted with mastery, but simply because I was fortunate to get a shooting star.  Unknown to me at the time I was unaware until I got it home.  The moon shines brightly but luckily I was able to catch the streaking object in the upper right hand part of the picture.  

While on this country road I decided to pan the camera down from the heavens and to take advantage of the Illinois landscape.  New nowadays that were not around when I was growing up in these parts are the many phone towers.  In fact it is almost impossible to take a picture of the land without one.  This road is a good one for such pictures:  the power lines start on the left for right side pictures, and then switches over to being on the right side for left side picture taking.  Very considerate of Ameren. 

This picture taking trip is over.  I didn't get the Comet, and sadly, failed to get it down here on the days it was closest to earth - cloud cover.  But I got some moderately interesting cold landscapes of a barren countryside.  Plenty of reason for the chimp to continue clattering.