BY LESLIE REGO
It was not just a beautiful sunset, but also a lovely moonrise.
A couple of days before the full moon, my husband and I drove to Stanley Basin in hopes of locating a spot where we could see the sun set in the west over the Sawtooth mountains and simultaneously catch the first view of the moon exactly opposite in the east. We discovered a beautiful site, just before entering Custer County.
Pulling over, we began to watch both sides of the highway. At 6:15 p.m., the moon emerged. We looked across the highway to the west and saw the last rays of the sun as it disappeared in a dip between two summits. Swinging our heads back and forth, we took in the double grandeur. This was nature at her finest and my heart swelled with the emotion of the moment.
As the light slowly diminished, the moon continued its climb. The sky shifted colors, the cerulean blue turning into a rich cobalt blue. Rose-colored streaks suffused the blue, making some areas lavender. The illumination in the sky cast a warm glow to the sphere, defining the irregularities on the surface.
We began our journey home, watching the moon dance and tease, playing the coquette, as it disappeared and reappeared through the trees. By the time we arrived at Galena Summit, the sky was radiant with color. Turquoise blue floated over the Boulder Mountains. Next came alizarin crimson, which surrounded the moon. The highest band of color was a lavender blue.
The slopes of the mountains blushed, basking in a sultry glow. The orb continued its inexorable climb. Stars appeared. The night skies floated over the mountains, the blues deepening and deepening until they turned to black.
The pilgrimage ended in silence, both of us awed by the majesty of the dual forces at play.
Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit leslierego.com.
