An Unnatural Natural Wonder

I go through life looking for things, experiences, people who are a phenomenon. Did you know that the plural of phenomenon is phenomena? I would have thought it was the other way around. Actually, I don’t use the word much but if I wanted to pluralize the word I’d just add an “S” making it phenomenons. Now I’ve just been reminded of the old Muppet’s song, “Mahna Mahna”. I had to go to Google to figure out the spelling on the song. I didn’t know there were actual lyrics.

Whether there’s just one phenomenon or many the word is defined as something that is impressive, extraordinary, remarkable or exceptional, a wonder. There aren’t too many of those types of things that happen around here. I suppose if I actually fixed something around the house or if Jan worked in the yard would qualify.

However, we do have something that happens in our home twice a year. It’s a natural phenomenon. I guess this only occurs because the house is here so it’s a natural man made mahna mahna, I mean phenomenon.

It happens for only a few days before the spring and fall equinox and fades a few days after. Plus it only occurs on sunny mornings around 7:45. The rising sun is in the same place in the horizon at both those times. The sunlight beams through the glass in our porch light then reflects through the glass in our door creating a vibrant prism effect smudge of a rainbow on our entry wall. There are actually two smudges that appear about a foot apart. The smaller on the left is only about an inch high while the prism on the right is about four inches tall and three inches wide. Fiery reds on the left mix into orange and yellow then shades into green, and blues.

I consider it to be my very own Stonehenge equinox indicator. I don’t need calendars to tell me when spring and fall are. I just watch for the kiss of color on the wall.

I’ve hesitated sharing this with the world. I don’t want herds of hooded druids chanting on my front lawn twice a year. However, if they have a couple of bucks they’d like to donate I’d let people in before work to take a quick peek, sing a few notes of a chant, then move on. And by chant I mean they’d need to learn the lyrics to “Mahna mahna.” I also have a couple of blue Niagara ponchos, I mean, cloaks with hoods you can rent for cheap.