it's a new day (at stonehenge)

I feel like a weight has been removed from my shoulders.
That must be from spending time with a large man-made structure that's been part of Earth's landscape for hundreds of years.
I had first noticed that feeling in 2002, at the Forum in Rome, Italy.
There is just something ... reassuring... calming... about being in the presence of something built by humans long ago, something which still stands strong and sturdy.

Even though I could not physically be at Stonehenge, to touch the massive boulders, to smell their solidity, to feel the day's heat ebbing in waves off the structure, I assuredly was there in spirit.
Through the magic of modern technology, I could watch the clouds slowly sweeping past and I could hear the birds chiming evensong as the sun's light ebbed.

I had been online to watch at the stroke of 4 PM local time, at 4:01 PM capturing that topmost photo.
Twenty-five minutes later, at 4:26 PM, I snapped another shot, trying to keep the same perspective.
This third photo was taken at 4:51 PM, twenty-five minutes past the official time of sunset.
At the time, I was so busy watching the sky that I didn't notice the darkening of the stones.
I'll definitely watch again.

Just after 11:20 PM, I returned to the English Heritage site on youTube, this time to await the coming of the dawn of the first day of summer.
I was amazed to see how much light was already in the sky, although I have seen the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean and know the light precedes the actual appearance of the sun by a good half-hour.
Once, I even caught the moon setting as the sun rose.

That was a very magical experience, made even more so by its occurrence at Easter that year.
The early morning sight seemed to be intended just for me, a true rarity as I hardly ever rise before 9 AM.
As I said, a very magical experience that let me know I am always cherished and blessed.
Watching the ending of the last spring day of 2020 at this ancient site was one of those magical experiences for me, too.

And now, having had the pleasure of sharing the coming of a new day with these massive rocks which have witnessed so many sunrises, with many others to come long after my eyes have closed forever...
is reassuring and calming.
i thank You, God.
Those sensations are always welcome ones, but especially during these troubled times of pandemic.
As for this trio of photos, the middle was taken at 11:53 PM, the official sunrise at that far-off site.
The other two are separated in time by 15 minutes, before and after that central one.
I'm so grateful to have been part of the worldwide audience at this event.
Thank you, English Heritage, for generously making that possible.
I'm feeling soaked in love...
and that's a blessing.
(smile)