Bookish holiday: Familiar Spirits: A Memoir of James Merrill and David Jackson by Alison Lurie (2001) in one sitting the eve of 23rd, and today, the 25th, midway through The Jews of Key West: Smugglers, Cigar Makers, and Revolutionaries (1823-1969) by Arlo Haskell (2017). The latter opens with date and time when U.S. Navy Commodore David Porter ordered the firing of rifles and raising of flag on the western end of what was known as Thompson’s Island with a mission to capture pirates. By the end of that year 200 years ago in the month of December, Levi Charles Harby from Charleston, South Carolina—at the time rank of sailing master, later promoted to captain—disembarked from the U.S. Schooner Beagle with retrospective distinction as first Jew known to have visited the island.
Sunday, April 6, 1823, Allenton, aka Key West, 10:00 LMT:
Mercury 25° 05′ Pisces square Gemini 25° 53′ rising
Chiron 10° 09′ Aries quincunx Vertex 10° 35′ Scorpio
Sun 16° 01′ Aries quintile North Node 4° 10′ Aquarius
Ceres 13° 07′ conjunct Mars 13° 22′ Aries
Tuesday, December 26, 2023, Key West, 22:10 EST:
Virgo 3° 50′ rising opposite Saturn 2° 50′ Pisces
Virgo rising square Midheaven 3° 07′ Gemini
Chiron 15° 27′ Aries station direct
Venus 26° 42′ Scorpio
Full Moon
Natal transits:
Saturn opposite natal Uranus 3° 20′ Virgo (March 2023–January 2024)
Venus conjunct synastry hot spot (husband and father)
Born this day, Jimmy Buffett:
December 25, 1946
Images: Souvenir photos from foggy night on errand with husband to retrieve his forgotten phone. Top photo: First time return to same venue, same table we sat at as new couple nearly 20 years ago, at that time with live piano music. Photos below: Music department paintings by Peter Thompson. Video: Dave Matthews playing a Rockbridge.