Then, it began to dance.
It spread itself back into strips, flared red along the bottom edge, and started to seriously move. We live in a birch forest, and it was visually right at the treetops, making it look like the trees were on fire.
The other strips flared up as that one ebbed, shifting and dancing, making us feel like we were underneath rings of Saturn at one point, and creating a brilliant green spiral in the sky above us the next, edged in ruffling red. We stood in the driveway, craning our necks back until they hurt, watching the show go on and on...
And then it faded, and stars we'd barely noticed were suddenly there, brilliant and obvious again as the light around them died away.
Someone took a timelapse video in town - not our view, but these are the lights we were watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHVqr48whPM&feature=youtu.be
In factory updates, the doctor's appointment went smoothly. Progressing as I should: no imminent baby, but definite signs of preparation. No nesting energy yet... could barely drag myself out of bed this morning, and it took several extra snooze-button pushes. She's still extremely stretchy and active.
Bread made. Laundry hung. StarGate and programming things now. :)