Hello! It’s been a few years. Three, in fact, since I’ve posted on this site. A lot has changed with my family. We’ve moved. We’ve switched our son’s school (twice, thanks to Covid). I returned to work (still part-time, of course!). And, perhaps the biggest change: my husband left the company he founded to work full-time for a global ministry and now he has to gets to raise his own salary support. I plan to write about all those stories and more.

Today, however, I am going to tell you about one of my favorite hobbies. It is a hobby that I decided to intentionally focus on more in January 2022, following our move the previous year. It’s one that I have grown to love. It sparks joy, and it is something that I truly look forward to.

It’s a free activity. One that I have never regretted doing.

Why?

• It gets me up and moving
• It instills gratitude
• It inspires creativity
• It’s beautiful! In his book Get Your Life Back, author John Eldredge writes, “…Beauty is such a gentle grace. Like God, it rarely shouts, rarely intrudes. Rather it woos, soothes, invites; it romances and caresses. We often sigh in the presence of beauty as it begins to minister to us — a good, deep soul-sigh.”

So, what is this free activity I speak of?

It is…

…to watch the sunrise.

Not just be awake, glance out the window, or notice it while driving to work or taking your kids to school. Nope.

In the words of Bugsy Sailor:

To watch the sunrise is more than to see the sunrise. Most of the sunrises we experience are by happenstance, something we see on our way to work, from
the kitchen window during breakfast, or peeking through the bedroom blinds. To watch the sunrise, is to seek and feel the sunrise with intention.

–  Bugsy Sailor –

I will share more about Bugsy Sailor later in this article. You don’t want to miss what he’s been up to, so keep reading!

Three Easy Steps

1. Determine the time of tomorrow’s sunrise. Check the weather app on your phone or a time of sunrise/sunset website, such as this one or this one.

2. Wake up beforehand and, before or at the designated time, look to the east. Watch the sun break the horizon and begin to rise
3. Marvel at the miracle of the sun rising…again! The Earth is still rotating on its axis and the sun came up … again!

The good Lord has granted you another day of LIFE!

Marvel at the dramatic colors, especially during the pre-sunrise minutes.

Feel the breeze on your skin. Notice the warmth of the air on your face in the summer and the coolness in the cooler months.

Listen to the birds. If you live by water, enjoy the sound of the waves sloshing against the shore. Capture the sun’s reflection in the water.

And, if you live somewhere like me, watch for wildlife and silently acknowledge their presence. Keep an eye out for bears. I saw one once, and it saw me and my dog; I fumbled my opportunity to get a picture. Another time, thanks to some neighborhood dogs barking and alerting me, I managed to film a nearby buck.

Kick It Up a Notch

Make It Fun

• Sing aloud or in your head. My mind usually goes to the tune or lyrics of this hymn, this praise song; and sometimes this song by the Beatles (doo doo doo doo). Or this all-time favorite of mine.

• Learn sunrise-related science and phrases, such as astronomical, nautical, civil, golden hour.

• Take pictures and develop your photography skills (link). This is a link to a good article about sunrise photography. I love to mix it up with a variety of shots.

• Say “good morning” to the other early risers.

• Continue to do steps 1 through 3 when you travel.  In some cases, ESPECIALLY when you travel!

For additional cost

• For the cost of operating your car, drive to a spot in your locality that provides a better view. For example, a vantagepoint that is at a higher elevation or offers a sunrise view over a body of water.

• For the price of a registration fee, enroll in a sunrise photography class

• For the cost of an entry fee, if needed, visit a spectacular location

Sunrise Serendipity

While visiting Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) this past summer, we attended Marquette’s annual Blueberry Festival.

Our daughter bought a gluten-free blueberry crepe from one of the vendors. After declaring it the “best gluten-free crepe ever!” she asked if they also sold blueberry muffins. The vendor pointed to a bakery on the next block, and we walked with her to procure some bakery treats for the long drive back to Colorado.

While she was waiting for the order, I went to the store next door (UP Supply Co.) as I was hoping to find the perfect Yooper t-shirt. Instead, I found the most amazing display!

A sunrise gallery!

Be still, my beating heart!!! What is going on here?

This store has a full wall gallery with 365 pictures of sunrise. Bugsy Sailor (I do not know this creative genius) has photographed more than 1,400 consecutive sunrises (all of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. And he has started 2023). The wall features twelve rows, one for each month, and 31 columns to accommodate the number of days in each month. On the back of each picture, he’s documented the date, time, location, and conditions. It was so cool, and I can’t wait to visit it again someday. And maybe we’ll meet Bugsy next time.

After admiring the gallery wall for a bit, I turned to leave and saw a free takeaway – the Watch More Sunrises pledge. My heart was overflowing with sunrise excitement.

Since my trip last summer, I found Bugsy’s website, Year of the Sunrise, where you can do the following:

• Read about his four years of sunrise adventures
• Download your own Watch More Sunrises pledge
• Follow along with his daily pictures
• Join Bugsyland and/or donate to support him financially. Yes, there are costs associated with his level of chasing the sunrise. Will you consider helping cover the costs of his sunrise adventures and ambitions? 

Once more, he’s updated his website for 2023, so visit today and download your own free copy of a pledge to watch more sunrises in 2023.

Take the #WatchMoreSunrises pledge

And follow him on Instagram at @BugsySailor. I don’t know Bugsy Sailor, but he seems pretty awesome, eh?!

In Closing

After 3+ years, it’s good to be back on the blog! After what turned out to be a mini-retirement in 2019, I went back to work. Part-time, of course! Check out some of my past blog posts if you’re interested in working part-time rather than full-time. More posts to come in 2023.

Drop a comment below to say hello and let me know what you’ve been up to! Also, let me know if you’re going to take Bugsy Sailor’s Watch More Sunrises pledge or tell me about your own sunrise adventures!