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| Sunrise Over Mount Holyoke Range November 29, 2011 |
Fairies come out to celebrate the new day.
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| Mount Tom at Sunrise November 29, 2011 |
The magical time just at the beginning and end of each day, where the sky becomes a vivid, living painting, is well worth honoring within silence, reverence and reverie. From my home and retreat at Flower Hill Farm the view allows a spectacular promise at those early and later moments . . . especially as November takes its leave of us. Clouds and mists of yesterdays sunrise (in the photos above) reflect and refract colors and light . . . while holding to the sky a striking palette . . . truly staggering and startling the imagination and spirit of this observer. It is a painting in constant movement as clouds float, stretch and swell into the atmosphere. Then . . . the luminous composition fades . . . as a wisp of smoke or a whisper . . . until the day is finished and a new painting, as seen below, fills the canopy of sky in that twinkling of time before gray and darkness befalls.
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| Mount Tom at Sunset November 29, 2011 |
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| Mount Holyoke Sunset November 29, 2011 |
Today this last morning of November begins with a stratospheric light show. Tomorrow will bring the first December sunrise of 2011 . . . the end of one day . . . one month . . . and beginnings of another. Nearly the end of a year. November has been mild with a slew of sunny, warm days, allowing for shoeless walks along the North Truro shore and here at Flower Hill Farm many more days, and evenings too, with windows and doors flung wide open. Oh, had I been able . . . it was a great month to garden.
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| Dramatic light-show when the sun appears to moves into the thick blanket of clouds. |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
While working on this post flocks with hundreds of birds were filling the sky, so I had to pause and fetch my camera to try to capture them, if only to identify the species. I could not, but what a joyous sighting for me in my own dear Rock Maple . . . a first here at Flower Hill (for me) . . . a Red-bellied Woodpecker!! My first sighting was earlier in the year at a Great Blue Heron Rookery. I shared my experience of the rookery at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens.
November nearly ending now . . . offers gifts of beautifully painted sky and birds. Bluebirds are sweetly singing their soft and melodious songs and calls. I am glad and grateful for having been in the moment and able to accept them all . . . gifts and songs . . . though none were intended for me at all. It is only for me to take the time to notice. I am very fortunate to be in such a place and to have the time.
At November's end I begin a new painting. This is an underpainting. I plan to use lots of yellows and pale greens which is why I chose the compliment of purple. Plans can change. I always find this early stage exciting . . . something becoming . . . a mystery with possible promise (If I destroy it I can always cover it and begin anew). Alas, my paintings are pale in beauty when seen next to such stunning works of Mother Nature, but then I am not trying to copy nature . . . only to find my own voice and way of expressing the feelings I find in my connection to nature. Nature all around me is my muse.
(My Painting process and some works over the last few years can be seen above just under the header photo by clicking on the 'Page' titles.)
I will bid farewell to November and welcome December in the morning.
Let's not forget the moon, which is a mirror to our sun. Here another beginning and ending 'Moonlit' for Katarina of Roses and Stuff for now it is Blooming Friday. Happy Roman Holiday K.
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