I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

Been a busy couple of weeks, and I didn't get the chance to comment on all the uproar last week. No matter - life continues on, doesn't it?

This week has brought another pleasant chat with Poppy, this time with some discussion about something in a letter from my mother. I think I mentioned my sister Diana's pregnant again (her sixth!). Mum's been rummaging around in some of our grandmother's recipes for older foods - you know, the things that grow here, without being transfigured. She's got this bizarre theory that transfigured foods might not be as healthy for an unborn child. (Me, I pointed out that we certainly eat enough of them here, and surely there's ways to balance it for health if we're feeding them here at Hogwarts. It's just a matter of making sure you start with a healthy diet before you transfigure it, and don't do it all out of one kind of food.)

On the other hand, she sent along some of the recipes, and there are some rather nice things in there that certainly look like good eating whether or not you agree with the rationale. Not, of course, that I have a chance to cook here, as the house elves are most attentive, but perhaps some holiday, just for fun. Mum made sure we all knew how to cook for ourselves, and all of the best charms for it - and for the washing up after - as a matter of course, and it's nice to keep my hand in.

I spent last night up on the tower with a few students who had some catchup work to do for OWLS and NEWTS - and both the moon and Venus were showing lovely crescents. Beautifully clear night, so the students got a good chance to fill out the parts of the star charts they'd been struggling with.

After various comments last week, I've done a few new things - worth noting here as a reminder, if nothing else.

Chilly during your class time? I've a collection of woolen gloves, hats, scarves, and socks in a box by my office door, if students have need of them for any reason. Someone never has their gloves or their hat or whatever. I hate to waste time with them going back to their room and all the way up the tower once more. (And I do agree with last week's comments: it's far too chilly to be up there without suitable clothing.)

However, I must say, I can't recommend many of the color combinations, so contributions in colors other than lime green, bright orange, fuscia, or an odd salmon/peach mix are most welcome. (Or, perhaps, students working on perfecting color in Transfiguration might like some practice objects?) Though, perhaps, the colors explain why the item has been 'lost' and was available for my loaner box.

We also spent a fair bit of time in the first and second year classes going over appropriate behavior while observing. No jostling, pushing, or otherwise interfering with use of the telescopes and other equipment, of course, even in fun. And we talked about the best ways to adjust settings when it's cold or the wind is blowing fiercely.

I'm awaiting a new set of short essays to be turned in next week, so could spend my afternoon today reading through some past correspondence - some lovely bits about the recent conjunctions and some other thoughts about some other ongoing areas of study. It's nice to feel properly caught up.