The supermoon that wasn't

Copyright Ariana Salvo, 2011

The day before yesterday there was supposed to be an a huge moon hung high in the sky, its face appearing 19 times larger than usual. Having an overactive imagination, as I do, I conjured up images of it all day in my head. The moon lighting up the city like it was daytime. The moon that was so big that we all became silhouettes against its warm yellow cheek. Being in exactly the right place as precisely the right moment and capturing the giant moon in all her glory -- her light flooding into my camera lens.

Problem is, it has been raining here for about three weeks, give or take a couple of days. Spring started off beautifully. I was down to tank-tops and sandals. But then these massive clouds rushed in, and brought rain shower after rain shower, wind, and torrential downpours. I love rain. I enjoyed it for the first week straight. I enjoyed it for the second week. And the third. But now that the full heads of blossoms are getting knocked off of branches and blanketing the ground all over the city, I am growing slightly wary. Still, I had great hopes that I would have a clear view of the super moon, even if it was through a tangled canvas of oak tree branches outside. But no such luck. It rained all night last night. I spent the evening at the home of some friends eating a multi-course Italian meal and playing board games instead of photographing the moon.

Starting yesterday at sunset, and ending tonight at sunset was the Baha'i new year or Naw Ruz, in Farsi. I am a Baha'i, and have been taking part in the Baha'i fast for the past 19 days from sunrise 'til sunset. Last night I broke my fast with some beautiful readings from the Baha'i writings and absolutely delicious food, surrounded by friends, and tonight my community had another big celebration. It has been 24 hours of joyful festivities, and I am feeling incredibly grateful. Through Facebook, I have been watching friends all over the planet celebrating alongside me, each in their own unique ways. My dear friend Nasrin enjoying her first cup of coffee and a gluten free dessert in London, with an expression of sheer delight on her face; my friends in Athens spinning around the room, arms interlocked as they did a Greek dance; and friends back on Prince Edward Island enjoying a delicious feast together at the Baha'i centre. Everywhere around the world Baha'is are celebrating the new year, and the beginning of spring.

In addition to celebrating the beginning of a new year, I am in the thick of preparing for my trip to the Dominican Republic. I will be leaving this Saturday, and will be gone for two weeks. I will be staying in a farming community that has no power or running water, so unfortunately I will not be able to write blog entries while I am there, but I am taking a journal, and I promise to share loads of photographs and great stories about the organic cocoa plantations when I get back home on April 10th.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about cocoa farming in the Dominican Republic, or Green & Black's, please post them here, and I will be sure to answer them upon my return. While I am away you can also check out the updates that those with power access will be posting on the Green & Black's USA Facebook page.

Did any of you see the supermoon? If you did, and would like to share your photos, please do so here. I would love to see some more images of it!

Happy new year to you all!