Yellow Pine’s eclipse: Champagne, doughnuts, and inappropriate card games

  • Umi's homemade doughnuts were a sweet start to the eclipse in Yellow Pine, Idaho.

We ambled back from the Grand Tetons to Yellow Pine to watch the eclipse without crowds, and were rewarded with a perfect day.

It started with coffee and homemade doughnuts at Dan and Umi’s house, the coffee a rich brew made from beans grown on Umi’s family farm in Indonesia, the doughnuts Umi whipped up that morning from a recipe she found on YouTube.

Then our friend Jeff drove us about 25 miles to an open meadow surrounded by pine forest, where about 40 people gathered to watch the moon cross in front of the sun.

Dan, a retired Navy man who studied celestial navigation, explained to us the movement, speed and shadow that we would experience, and we nibbled on cheese and crackers, salmon and apple slices while we waited.

As the sky got dusky and the temperature dropped at totality, Willie, another member of the volunteer fire district, pointed out the 360-degree sunset.

Our eclipse glasses (thanks Ann) were phenomenal, and we watched the shadow arc move across the sun, then the “diamond ring,” then the receding arc.

We sipped champagne as the geese and frogs hooted and harrumphed.

We ended the day at the tavern, playing a rousing and totally inappropriate game of Cards Against Humanity, which reduced us to tears.

We’re already planning the next solar party in 2045.

4 Comments

  1. Reply
    Corbin Shouse August 22, 2017

    I want to try those beans! I am so jealous! Also, plan the next eclipse part for 4/8/2024 in my hometown (Boerne, TX); it’s going to be grand! I am so happy to hear that y’all had such a good time! Much love to you and Tom!

    • Reply
      Judy Nichols August 27, 2017

      I’d love to see Boerne!

  2. Reply
    Kirstin C August 23, 2017

    SO COOL! Cards Against Humanity is amazing. I’m there in 2045!

    • Reply
      Judy Nichols August 27, 2017

      It was appallingly fun.

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