I am the diamond glints on snow

We continue to get snowed upon and are completely buried in it. But that's not what this post is about.

I had a weird moment last night: I took both dogs outside at 1 a.m. so they could do their business and while standing in the the yard I saw a red streak of light, directly above me in the sky. It was a totally blinding flash that lasted only a split second and it completely freaked me out.

I'm the type that needs a scientific explanation for everything. After doing a bit of research today on the web, I now have to assume that what I witnessed was part of the Ursid Meteor Shower, which is actually supposed to peak tonight. I'm not totally sure if that's the explanation. I suppose I should stand outside tonight* and look for the same crazy effect.

Curiously, though, the streak didn't seem to be high up in the stratosphere or mesosphere, it seemed to be a couple hundred feet above the house. What the heck? Of course the flash was probably amplified by the blanket of pure white that our neighborhood has become. I'm sure the snow helped to refract some of the light, making it seem brighter and closer than it would have been sans-snow (???).

The title of this post was taken from a poem written by Mary Elizabeth Frye
*update: I wasn't able to stand outside that night. I was lost in deep, deep, lovely sleep.