This was first published September 23, 2010.
Playing in the dark… WAAAAAYYY back when… I was the youngest kid on the block, so I didn’t get to join in much… but we played a game called Sardines. It is the opposite of Hide and Seek, kinda, sorta. In the dark, with boundaries set… ONE, and only ONE, kid goes and hides. Everyone else closes their eyes and counts. ONETWOTHREEFOUR… FIFTY! They then scatter… searching high and low for the hidden One. When someone spotted the One… you would quietly sneak in and hide *with* him. If necessary, you might delay that if someone else might witness your disappearance. Soon, there’s six of you crammed together <hence the name> in some fence corner behind the stinky garbage cans, giggling at the lone unsuccessful participant wandering around forlornly calling “OK, guys, I give, please come out!” That was Fun. <Though when I think back on it, it was probably a LOT more fun for the 13 year olds than the 6 year olds.> As I spent more and more of my summers at Girl Scout camps… We had flashlight tag. We had marshmallow trails. We had Sparky parties. We had Sky Parties. Constellations. Tales of Andromeda, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Pegasus, Cetus, and Cepheus! Those nights under the stars, the telling of tales, the Perseid Meteor Shower that heralded the end of our summer freedom, the cheer we sent up when Sally Ride rode into space… all of that made me love the stars! OK. William Shatner and his top notch crew had a little bit to do with it too… I *still* like playing in the dark. <In town, I was SCARED of the dark… at camp… nope. Here? NOPE.>
Full moon and Jupiter… and moonlight on leaves… I decide to play with my timer on my camera… Try “sky writing” with the moon at 30 seconds… It gives you time to write a cursive L… for Lucas.
My attempt at “Carol”… didn’t really work… and the swish underneath my name turned out above…
My house at night… the glow from my kitchen light definitely spotlighted the fall colors in the boxelder… Stupid power line ruins *another* photo…
With Sagittarius overhead, my ghostly self even decided to join in and give you a big wave!
If you have a digital… and timed settings or starry night settings… go play in the dark. You might find yourself giggling at your results!
Find me here!
What fun. Have you tried light painting with a flashlight and your camera?
Yes, I have. It was interesting as well.
Sardines certainly sounds an interesting and different game. Like Marilyn I will pass it on to others. The night sky photos are spectacular. Too much light pollution here in Middle England so we only see the bright stars. The full moon has been amazing the last few night.
“Sardines” – now that is original and funny! I’ll pass that along to my great nieces and nephews who are in elementary school. Sounds like all those summers at Girl Scout camp were truly wonderful and had a lasting and positive impact, as they should be!