Still Basking in the Glow

Preparing
Hoping
Wrapping
Cooking
Cleaning
Worrying
Bedazzling

Days run together, balance is tenuous-

Praying
More bedazzling
More worrying
Pausing
Noticing miracles
Remembering
More praying
Connecting
Noticing more miracles
Thanking
Basking
Glowing

December Sun

Angled lower in the sky now, the rays easily reach the forest floor.

Brilliant

Right at home, I'm grateful for my front row seat.

Moonrise

Just this . . .

The Light Within

The afternoon sun dances through windowpanes, enlivening our interior.

Light Effects

I'd never been very good with African violets.  Mom always had a natural way with them.  This year, maybe she's helping me out because I'm having luck!  Our recent cold snap prompted me to bring them inside. 

These two photos are both unfiltered, but the first is lit with canned lights and the second is natural light.  I was surprised at how the different light sources change the colors.  I like them both. 

These are Mom's favorite colors -- purple, aqua, robin's egg, cobalt.  Yes -- she's definitely had a hand in this.

Autumn!

Fallen leaves at the surface, upon layers of reflected trees and sky, water and stone~

Cloven

The deer come down to the Wooky Hole every day for a drink.

Freshly Spun

For a brief moment this artistry caught the sun's rays effectively enough that we could see it from indoors, but then it quickly faded from view.  Looking closely here, some of the mid-air gossamer strands are still visible.

Can't Be Tamed

After 17 years in the same spot, my elephant ears got too big for their britches.  The lovely fronds were hanging over the driveway so our tires had been making a mess of them.
I gave the plants a haircut, and chose some of the prettiest leaves to bring indoors for a while.

This morning, only several hours after giving these dramatic specimens a drink of water and a place of honor, the grand stems' response was clear.  Arya's statement to her direwolf came to mind:  "That isn't you~"

After the Moon

The sun's face, no longer shaded by the moon, presents in the round once again.  

Moon Shadow, Moon Shadow

Half an hour earlier than expected, a darkness outside was perceptible.  I was surprised to see through the glasses that the moon had already begun to occlude the sun.  I didn't use the glasses much, only to check the progress of the eclipse.  The atmospheric changes of my little spot in the world were much more interesting. Very quickly, reality seemed to slip off kilter in a way that is difficult to explain.  The light was just . . . wrong.  The strangeness and darkness of our space aren't adequately conveyed in my photos.  There was always a slight sliver of sun for us, so we were never able to see stars, but crickets and light-sensing landscape lighting noticed the change.  The hot sun became cool and comfortable, without a breath of breeze.

I almost forgot to look for these crescent-shaped shadows. I'm glad I stumbled upon them.

It defies logic that beams of light peeking through a leafy shroud would present in these perfect eclipse-shaped patterns, but these unfiltered photos are proof.

And then it was over.

Gearing Up

I've got my lovely specs in preparation for today's eclipse.  Honestly, I can see nothing at all through them at this point -- 85 degrees F at 11:00 a.m., and, luckily, not a cloud in the sky.

If we wanted to see totality (100 percent occlusion of the sun) we'd need to drive about an hour and a half north.  We'll see only a partial eclipse, but still about 97 percent.

Legends abound during memorable moments such as these, but I've heard our temperature will drop 20 degrees today and Bill Nye the Science Guy says our mid-day darkness will allow us lovely views of a sky full of stars.  I've also heard dire warnings about vision loss and ruined cell phone cameras, so this midlife lady is planning to view responsibly.

Things should start to change here in about an hour or so.  I'll share any content I deem worthy.

Dappled

The warm, golden midday light animates the forest floor.

Treasure

The water brings a steady stream of surprises.

A Respite

For weeks we've been shut inside,
the air, much too warm to breathe,
stagnant and thick with the hypnotic buzz of cicadas,
stifling movement, focus, joy.

Now a fresh breeze brings clarity.
We breathe deeply.

The Whitetail Buffet

At first I thought these sturdy hostas were victims of errant trimming, but then I remembered they are a favorite of our cloven-hoofed daily visitors.  The plants grow back in as quickly as they are eaten, and then they're eaten again -- symbiosis.

Fullness

The canopy thickens.

Resting Place

Three years ago we created this contemplation spot for dear Emma.  We have yet to lay her down, but Ellie seems to know there's something reverent about this place.

My Haven

Fit for a Toad

Fungi in the forest inspires a more grounded stance.

Miracle

The water pulls me back in . . .

Embraced by the soft quiet, the energy here is palpable.  Angst begins to fall away --insignificant now.

I breathe again.

Scenes from the Road

Fresh compositions abound in this land of ours.

Raison d'Etre

Truly, a view like this is the reason for a sunroof.

Looking Up in the Land of Gump

Boughs of ancient Savannah live oaks festooned with Spanish moss cocoon those who lay in eternal rest at our feet.

Unfazed

This morning I had company creekside.  This little guy neither retreated nor froze, but rather carefully regarded me, tilting his head and swivelling his bright eyes to look into mine.  I wondered at his lack of skittishness.  Perhaps the safety of his portable home engenders confidence.

Color

I'm enjoying the brightness today.  The edge of the ranunculus is so crisp it appears photoshopped, but it wasn't.  There are no filters in this photo.  The magenta is real.

Rising

In the very early quiet, huddled over a steamy black mug, I was surprised by lateral rays through the trees, and the room was suddenly filled with gold.  Sunrises never get old, but I forget to look for them.  I was lucky today.

"Crop Circles" on the Rug

It's shedding season.  One day after vacuuming, this furry "crop circle" tells a tale.  I can just imagine my sweet Ellie scratching while slowly spinning on the spot.  When I was younger I may have focused only on the need to clean it up.  Today, it makes me smile.

The proud artist!

Shifting Habits

Time in the creek is a reward normally squeezed in at the end of the day.  Showing up after morning coffee instead reveals a different world.  In the early quiet, the deer are sleepy after a full night of foraging, and have let their guard down.  They don't notice me until I'm close enough to make eye contact.  Then, with a flash of white and a crash of leaves and twigs, they are gone.

Curves

A mirrored interior glance reveals a pleasing composition.

Through Another Glass, Brightly

Another view through curved convolutions.  Some of us at Midlife need to look through glass to see anything at all.  An interest in refractory effects follows.

Hush

Even on this bright day, the leaves begin to muffle sound and light as we walk deeper.

Further in, we might forget what time of day it is.  Noises of humans recede in this private world until they're hardly noticeable.

Full

Spring was brief.  Overnight, the trees filled in.  The papery, brown ash leaves are upon the forest floor, replaced by chartreuse.

Fresh

For a week or two, these iris are in their glory.