Since travelling into space a few weeks ago, I really got to missing space travel a little bit…
So last weekend, I decided to take LB & Seala on a little trip! We did not venture quite all the way to our home galaxy, Andromeda, which is the closest galaxy to this one…after all, the two galaxiese are 2.5 million light-years apart!
…Instead, we went just as far as the space tunnel shortcut, which connects our two galaxies, the Milky Way~Andromeda Tunnel!
We flew off early in the morning …
And went into that super-accelerated phase, which is difficult to photograph…
We did briefly see this UFO, but I didn’t give it a second thought……
Like my grandmother said…Space is pretty infinite, so no need to worry about every little thing, Clay Ball!
Finally, we arrived at the entrance of the space tunnel…
You might not think so, but there is a peculiar stillness when inside the tunnel…Very, very, very still…
How does one travel so quickly from one galaxy through to the other with this space tunnel shortcut?
That is a good question! I don’t have an exact scientific explanation…Perhaps it has to do with the theory of relativity (which I believe states that we are all relatives, so we have to set healthy boundaries & passageways for one another)…& the Universe is just shifting a little to help us on our way…
…or maybe it is the bending of space~time…
…or it could just be that the Universe is a little glitchy, & space travellers can find many shortcuts for just that very reason…
Well, whatever the case may be…Here it is…the most beautiful galaxy in the Universe…the one & only…
Andromeda!
It is a very peaceful galaxy. Can you see my tiny home planet at 7 o’clock? It is a little tiny & fuzzy in this picture, &, I suppose, impossible to see, after all, from this far away. But I can imagine it there…Hello, to all my dears back home! I love you!
And here, from the entrance to the other side of the space tunnel, we can see your galaxy from afar…
The Milky Way!
Also a beauty! Hello all the Beings there on Earth & all the other planets in the Milky Way! A special shout out to my nephew & neices down South! Hi Tabasco & Lon! Hi Family! Hi my dear Readers!
Well, LB & Seala loved this little journey to the space tunnel!
The trip home was very quiet & uneventful…
…Our neighber the maple tree waved hello as we arrived…
… just in time to make some Swiss fried potatoes for supper!
love rocks the stars!
love,
Clay Ball
p.s. By an amazing coincidence, NASA also has some very similar pictures of Andromeda & the Milky Way…Thank you NASA for your super photography & artwork!
(And above is M81, another beautiful galaxy!)
On my home planet, Little Wave, we have a rite of passage…
When the time is right, each young clay ball will build themselves a space kayak of their own. My older sister Shining Dove was much older than Tessa or I were, so she was ready to build her space kayak when we were still in grammar school…
The young one must build the kayak alone. Usually, the first wobbly attempts at building result in a kayak that is not very space-worthy, & so the young clay ball can just make little flights, just hovering above the waters of our little planet…
As they gain building & flying skill, and as their craft becomes more space-worthy, the youth can fly higher & higher.
Shining Dove, as her name beautifully illustrates, is a born leader…she always had vision & the courage to carry it out, & whatever adventure she had planned, Tessa & I were her willing followers.
Tessa, our littlest sister, as most youngest children, led the family without us realizing it, with her good ideas for fun & excitement, & her peacemaking skills.
I, Clay Ball, was the middle one & the cautious one of the bunch…I would say things like, “I guess it might be time for supper!” or “I think I hear Mom calling now!” But, I had to go along to make sure my sisters were safe! Plus, who wants to miss out on all the fun & excitement?
So, my sister’s first space kayak, which she named the Blazing Beauty, and which had fine red tail feathers like no space kayak before or since, was gradually flown, adjusted, fixed, & improved upon…
Until, without anyone realizing it…it gradually became one of the most space-worthy kayaks on our planet!
Our Dad was busy with his healing tasks, which seemed to be never-ending, & about that time, an old aunt in the family became very ill, so our Mom was taking care of her day & night, & was a little preoccupied…
It came to pass that Shining Dove decided it was time for a…Road Trip!
And not just any road trip…a Road Trip to Orion!
Mom must not have been listening, or maybe she thought the tiny red space kayak was still at the hopping-just-over-the-surface-of-the-water stage…but my Mom just absently said, “Just bring the girls home before bedtime, Shining Dove…” and out the door my sister flew, with Tessa right behind her. I was dumbfounded, but after a moment, decided to follow my sisters, come what may…
Well Orion was in another galaxy, so we had to take a space tunnel…Shining Dove had taken a map, of course, a star chart, & had brought some snacks, & a compass of the universe, which always pointed to Home.
We flew all day. To pass the time, we sang rounds, took turns navigating, & made up funny stories about Mom & Dad, and what their life might have been, had they not had us.
Finally, we saw Orion in the distance! What a handsome constellation he was! Our hearts beat wildly & happily that we had made it this far!
We flew right up to Orion…& much to our surprise, he knew who we were! “Shining Dove, Clay Ball, & Tessa, what are you doing so far from Little Wave?” he asked in a deep, booming voice.
Shining Dove was always brave, and she answered truthfully, “We came to pay you a visit Orion, Bright Hunter.”
“Well.” is all Orion said. “How are your parents, & the Ancient Ones, & all the other clay balls on your planet?”
“They are all fine, thank you, Bright Hunter. Our Oldest Aunt, Auntie Number Four, is not feeling well, but our mother is taking good care of her.”
“Well, please send her my best wishes for good health…
And now, it is time for you to go back home,” said Orion (I suppose he did not like long, lingering visits) ”but before you go, I will give you a gift.”
A gift! I was hoping Orion had a flaming ball of fire for us to take home, or perhaps a comet he had caught in his hunting days, but instead what Orion gave us was a nugget of advice. (I was a little disappointed!)
“Always seek & bring goodness into your lives, do you understand?” he asked.
We nodded obediently.
Then he added, “What you hunt for & seek & bring home will change you & your loved ones, so always seek out the good things…that is what I gathered from all my hunting over time immemorial. Now I am giving it to you, three sisters, to take home.”
We nodded shyly & promised the Great Hunter that is what we would do (try to do!), and then we waved & waved, until we could just see Orion & his kind lights twinkling like little glimmers in the distance, & then he was gone from our sight.
We flew home, up and down with the space waves, in a dreamy silence…our brave leader was silent, our little leader was silent, our cautious one was silent…
That night, when our mother came & tucked us into bed, she asked us about our day…We told her the story about Orion…
Mom Ball just gave us her gentle, knowing smile & murmured something about space-worthy…& then we fell asleep….dreaming of the Blazing Beauty, with her beautiful red tail feathers, & Orion, the Bright Hunter…
love,
Clay Ball
