Okay, tonight was quite clear, but my eyes were not at all dark adjusted. However, I did get a look at (from South to North, I think) Orion, Taurus (with Hyades and Pleiades), Auriga, Perseus, Casseiopeia, and Gemini just rising over the rooftop. I spent a long time trying to find (or better to say, see) M1, but I never was convinced. I swung over to Auriga and glanced at M36 just to convince myself that my eyes had not completely deserted me. And then found the double cluster in Perseus, which was mostly hiding behind the trees.
I wonder if I should spend money on more telescope, or on getting the trees cut down.
At any rate, I am pretty happy that I am beginning to understand and recognize the night sky.