Kitchen Sailboats

[CaptTom]

One benefit of retirement is not having to rush through my morning routine. My body seems to insist I keep about the same sleep schedule I had while w*rking, but once awake I can do things at my own pace.

Making breakfast last week, I noticed a very odd pattern on the door going down to the cellar:

Two sailboats! It took me a while to figure out where it was coming from. The morning sun shone through the sliding glass door in the dining room, hitting a part of the kitchen window. Each half of the slider was at a slightly different angle, and the light had to pass through the open slats of the kitchen window blind. The glass panes in either the door or window, or both, must be slightly concave. The reflection crossed the kitchen again to land on the white cellar door.

Today the sun has moved a few degrees, and the show started higher up the door where the sailboat shape hasn't completely formed yet.

After a while, the sailboats were back. But it looks like they're sailing off into the sunrise. I guess they'll be back in the Spring when the sun is on it's way back North.

Pretty cool stuff, if you're into astronomy and/or navigation. Probably pretty boring otherwise.

 

[Ronstar]

Very cool! You're right - the sailboats will sail off and be back in the spring.

Your sailboats are like the Veterans Memorial in Anthem Arizona where the sun alignment through a series of pillars illuminates a seal in the pavers at precisely 11:11 am on 11/11.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthem_Veterans_Memorial

I'm somewhat of a navigation nut, so I like this kind of stuff.

 

[misshathaway]

This is another joy of retirement, taking notice of things you otherwise wouldn't if you were in a rush. You have inspired another retiree to learn about refraction.

 

[RunningBum]

Pretty neat! I also enjoy the very unrushed mornings. The only problem is, if I do have to get up early for a flight, race, or appointment, I have trouble shifting gears and having a quick breakfast, dressed, and out. I tend to leave myself about 90 minutes almost no matter how early I have to get up.

 

[pb4uski]

And i thought it was a slow day here!

Just kidding. Pretty neat CaptTom.

 

[imoldernu]

Neat pictures...

Reminded me of the time when we lived in the 1720 House in Martha's Vineyard, back in the 1960's. Now a BnB. We rented for $90/mo. from William Randolph Hearst's niece. Current rental more like $275/night.

The front doorway windows were made of Bullseye Glass... that probably came from England in the 1700's. The glass was made from molten glass that was poured on to a smooth slate like surface and then cut to size. Where the Pour was made from the vat, there would always be a point of separation where the glass broke off. That would mar the perfect flatness, so that a bubble would be left. That point would be cut off and thrown away, but some pieces would be kept and turned into small panes of glass. Those panes were used in the doorway. When the sun came up in the east, the light would pour through the bullseye of the glass, and reflect rainbows of color on the walls and ceiling of the living room. A beautiful way to start off the day.

 

[sengsational]

Cool phenomina. I've observed stuff like that and even taken pictures, but don't usually share it beyond with DW or the kids. They appreciate my quirky eye, mostly, but I didn't figure anyone else would.