Aligned

A rare alignment in the heavens – you will need to click to enlarge this image  of ulica Ogrodowa in Sułkowice last night in a new tab, then open in new tab to see full size. Look into the top right; you will see a crescent moon, between its horns (barely visible but there) is Saturn; then in a straight line from Saturn, through the Moon, you'll see Venus. Saturn, the Roman god was described as a god of abundance, wealth, agriculture. Saturn's mythological reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace. Venus, the Roman goddess, was the Roman goddess of love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory.

These days, living indoors in big cities bathed in nocturnal light, we lose the old familiarity of the night sky. Our forefathers would have easily been able to point to most of the constellations in the sky. And alignments as unusual as this one, would have been endowed with a special significance – a portent.

What could such a sign... mean?

On my walk this evening, another frosty night (-4.5°C) I was followed home by a kitten. My first thought was that it had escaped from one of the farms along the main road through Jakubowizna. So I walked the length of the road and then back again, pausing at each house, at each gate along the way to see whether the kitten would pop through the railings having found its way back home. But no – it would shortly reappear and chase along after me. We did this right to the station, and the past the last house it followed me along my lane, to my działka. The kitten, about five months old, is (according to Moni) a calico (tortoiseshell white)/tabby female. I took a mugshot of it and posted it on the Chynów community Facebook page, advertising a kitten found. Two people immediately reposted. I will go back to check whether any posters have appeared along the street in Jakubowizna – if no one responds, it looks like I will have been adopted by a cat.

Now, given that Moni's late cat was called 'Jowisz' (Jupiter), this one has to be named after a planet too, and given the propitious alignment of Saturn and Venus in the heavens, and that it's a female, the only name she can have is 'Wenus', diminutive 'Wenusia' or just simply – 'Nusia'. Below: her markings make for good camouflage at this time of year.

If an ad does appear for a lost kitten, Nusia shall be returned. (Having lost cats in Jeziorki, it's good when someone does respond to a 'gone missing' poster.) If not, it seems that fate has brought us together on a frosty winter's night when Venus, the Moon and Saturn were aligned.

This time last year:
2023: A year in travel

This time two years ago:
Letters to the Postman

This time three years ago:
Progress at Warsaw West station
[The end is in sight – this summer]

This time six years ago:
From West London to South Warsaw

This time nine years ago:
Anger and hate have no place in political discourse

This time 11 years ago:
Is Conservatism rural or urban in nature?

This time 12 years ago:
Poland's roads get slightly less deadly

This time 13 years ago:
It's expensive being rich in Warsaw 

This time 15 years:
Winter commuting in colour and black & white

This time 16 years ago:
Zamienie in winter

This time 17 years ago:
Really cold (-12C at night)