Yes, we had the moon and mars here in Portland, Maine, too.

It's dusk here by 3:30pm, and pitch dark by 5:00 when we stepped out to 
walk down to the neighbor's for Christmas Eve celebrations.

Air clear, cold, calm. The silver dollar Moon rising over oceanic fog 
bank laying across the harbor drifting out across the Gulf of Maine to 
the Atlantic. Slight half halo encircles the moon out past three wispy 
clouds floating by, with Mars close in, not the familiar faint pink, 
rather striking red beacon.

Phyllis and I stopped to observe the spectacle, then struggled to keep 
an eye on it and the icy brick sidewalks, stopping at a few  neighbors 
to drop off warm loaves of Czech houska holiday bread, arriving at the 
party--neighbors, brothers of neighbors, nieces of neighbors, cousins of 
acquaintances, beaus of the now grown girls across the street--friendly 
folks every one. All chow down on Pilot Bread and Lobstah Choudah.

John Leeke

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