In the wait

I had about 30 minutes while waiting for my daughter, second time in one week, so I parked my car and stepped out to enjoy the changing light and clouds. Across the street was a baptist church with two crucifixes. One set high and the other lower in the parking lot. The power line silhouette looked like a third cross, and I was taken by how the three looked against the sky. A large military plane flew in the distance roaring with the hum of the traffic of nearby Interstate 10.

     

As I was taking this last shot, a woman driving an old white van with square windows running down both sides pulled to my side of the street, which was against the traffic for her. She rolled down her window and asked, "What do you see there?" For whatever reason I felt unsettled about her approach, but still answered her briefly. She maneuvered the vehicle as to park and then asked, "You a member of this church?" I quickly replied no and walked behind her van to cross the street to my car. She didn't get out, waited a moment, then pulled away. The whole interaction had an "X-File" feel to it because she seemed peculiar in her mannerisms. Of course I would have been grateful for Mulder and Scully to have stepped out from the church parking lot at that moment and show me their ID, but that didn't happen. I'll always wonder about that interaction, and would like to return to the location to shake it off a bit with another '30 minute shoot'.

#30minuteshoot #sunset #clouds #batonrouge

We can't go back, sweet girl

Sparkle walked me to what was the field tonight. I think it had been some time, and I do know each visit breaks my heart in different ways. This session left me feeling a distance to what once was. I suppose that's because there is less familiar to appreciate. Even my 'redefine your space' meditation brought me only inches closer to a feeling of security.

A larger pile of debris and building materials welcomed our entry into the grassy entrance. With further passage in, the old gate opening, which used to stand there on its own without surrounding fences, is now gone. The new street and stop signs were up, their vertical presence in the place of the old, tall trees.

We went across the dried and cracked soil spilled into the streets over the concrete curbs, and sat down in a spot looking back at the sunset. The tree I thought they were to remove stood there as a silhouette while a new resident of the development, actually a neighbor we know, rode her back by us for a few rounds of late day exercise.

I had held onto the comfort and quiet of the pasture for the handful of years Sparkle and I walked it together. Here I was tonight knowing it was really gone. How long does it take to say goodbye and how long can you hold it in your heart.

"We can't go back, sweet girl," I told her.

I wonder if in her dog ways she somehow remembers the green, too.

No one can stop us now

'Cause we are all made of stars - Moby

#water #sunset #blackandwhite #cellphone

Sunsets across my childhood memories

I love when the sun becomes muted by surrounding clouds and colors, almost as if I took my fingers and wiped them across the scene softening and blending the shapes and lines. Tonight I stopped the car to watch for a bit then take a few shots because it was one of those sunsets.

Even more so, they remind me so very much of a book I loved as a child.  There were illustrated versions of the same sunsets I love today throughout the pages, and I used to sit and look, turning back and forth among all of the pictures.  I remember viewing similar sunsets as a child and thinking that they looked like something in the book.  If I could only remember its title.

I still like being transported in my mind to those moments of wonder many years back and jumping into the pages of the book again. Brain switches open up memories and feelings when I see the soft colors and lights. I like connecting then with now, and really appreciate the near timelessness of sunset beauty.

I heart

This sunset followed me as I rushed from home to the shopping mall tonight.  Its golden colors kept me peeking in my rear view mirror and side window, and slowed me down to soak up its light.  Just like an old drive-in movie, I pulled into a spot just right for the show.  Leaning on the car hood, still warm from the ride, I watched, enjoyed and smiled.  I wondered who else out there was keeping company with this beauty and feeling the joy.

What a treat, too, to see the surprise heart mark created by the glare in the image.  I couldn't have personalized it any better.  :))

An embrace of light

*Dedicated to a special friend and woman from my childhood who is very ill and being cared for in an ICU.  Sending warm light and love her way.*

I continue to be very fond of having about an hour on Monday evenings to myself, and I find myself looking forward to the walks on the levee with Sparkle.  The weather has been gorgeous, and the late day cool, breezy air welcomes me to my elevated levee view of the Mississippi River and downtown Baton Rouge.  Yes, I said "cool, breezy air" while still being in Louisiana.  A gift indeed, especially with the longer daylight hours it's wonderful.

On this given day, we walked on the both the bike/walker path and the river side flats.  Water continued to sit while flowers bloomed and trees greened a bit more.  I was very taken by the placement of the sun through the gathering of trees and vines, and realized that in just one week it was sitting just a bit higher than before.  Possibly I wasn't the only one aware as there were a good number of cyclists, runners and walkers making the most of the experience.

I had fun experimenting with the water reflections and the sun, hit the ground for some florals with great background bokeh and even tried a few sun placement shots between a horseshoe like tree split as I was walking back up the incline to leave.  As usual, time had passed very quickly and I had a handful of minutes to make it in time to pick up my daughter.  I squeezed in a couple silhouette shots of people as I made my way to the car, and started making plans in my head to do more of the same during my visit next week.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, instinct told me to turn and look one more time.  The sun was sitting softly like a golden ball of light within the ends of a tree branch.  Quickly I stopped the car and positioned myself in  the open car door to watch.  It was beautiful and timeless in a breath, and it changed before my eyes inviting me to soak it in before it disappeared.  I took a series of shots, and was lucky enough to have a sampling of people walk through the scene, too.  I felt it in me that this was something, and held it well without distractions to always remember.  Oh so to return to be able to do it again and again.


When feeling out a title I went through cycles of 'Just one more look', 'Stay with me', 'Instinct'.  'Embrace of light' was born out of the moment you stop as a photographer because you see, know, look for and wait for the right light.  We inherently know that that particular combination of light and nuance will not last forever and we take the best advantage to embrace and appreciate in our actions with our eyes and camera.  In that moment with the sun, I took it in with both self and tool, nearly making my wish to extend the experience true.  This is the gift and art, the action of embracing light.   On these things, I will think, process and share.

Ritual

I will stop, look and watch, even standing on my tippy toes, to watch the sun give us her last glimmer of light.  Whether through a clearing of trees or the florals covering the view, I take pause to participate in the daily ritual shared between Earth and Sun.  

In these images I know the place, time, weather and mood when I turned to face the dimming light.  It was beautiful with the blooming Japanese Magnolias, and I loved the changing pink hues and silhouettes against the golden sky.  

I'm reminded of something I learned in a Native American Studies class in college that always left me exercising my brain and spirit.  Each sunrise, each sunset was celebrated as the original.  Rituals created a time space and oneness with nature, a sense of respect to the sacredness of the act.  What if I was able to tap into their ways and consciously practice such a life?  Maybe in that moment of stopping to feel the setting sun, I receive a gift of knowing a tiny part.

Time change sunset on the Mississippi

I enjoyed my first sunset since the 'spring ahead' time change over the weekend.  Usually I walk a dark levee while waiting for my little one who is in gymnastics, so the golden skies and late day sun on the Mississippi was a welcome change.  I was first greeted by a crucifix, which was not there the week before, as I crossed River Road to climb the levee stairs.  I assume that there had been a death in this location.  The extended sun light pulled me over the levee and to the river with Sparkle to be near the tree and vegetation line.  Greening had slowly begun, so the area is still overcome with dried vines and grasses waiting to burst with growth and life.  Before having to leave, I was able to cross an open area towards a parked tugboat.  Peering through the brush, I hoped that timing would help me capture the setting sun through its tinted windows.  It wasn't to be, and walked away catching glimpses and appreciating the play with golden light once again.

Things that'll get me running outside

Besides the glory of an early morning fog slowly settling into the trees and open spaces, a color drenched sunset and big, glowing moonrise will get me running outside for a look.  We had both tonight,
and I was out there enjoying as if they would never happen again.


The view from our backyard deck.  Give me some more of that blue with the dwindling, rich orange and pinks.

The Wolf Moon

Meditation in the works

 

 “Smile, breathe and go slowly.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

 I think that anything that stops you in your tracks to look at in awe is a meditation in the works.  Tonight's sunset on Dauphin Island, Alabama was just that, and I'm fortunate to have appreciated it from this great beach space with friends..  Truly I am more thoughtful in the presence of such beauty.  :)

Return meanderings

After a long and rare nap, I stepped out earlier than usual with Sparkle for our walk.  I had been wanting to go the field since our return from NJ the day before, and without resistance, Sparkle led the way.  I didn't carry my camera but my cell phone, and I appreciated the opp to take a few pictures with it.  None in my collection were from my cell, and I thought it would be interesting to have a different look.  Well, field exploration ended up being minimal, and we found ourselves headed towards the middle school property which sits adjacent to the farm property.  I'm not sure what led her there, but it was such a great open space for views of the simple and pretty sky.   The colors were such swirls of summer, and the high humidity created a wonderful glow of  light.   There's something about these that I really appreciate, and possibly it's the feel of me coming back into myself following my trip.  The transition always takes time, and I'm not sure that it's ever complete.  Either way, this space helps me find the way.

The falling apart basketball hoops caught me eye, too.  :)

Running with the Transit of Venus

Meet Brandon Dufrene, a man who was exercising when I arrived at the levee look out spot near LSU's vet school .  He was at the top of the stairs, just about to make his decline, when I took this quick shot. He passed me on his way down so I showed him the image and apologized, too, for interrupting his workout.  He said that was okay because he had already finished his 15 mile bike ride earlier.  Keep in mind that it's nearly 90 degrees and high humidity even at 7:30 pm, and I commented that it must be tough getting a work out in those conditions.  He explained that it's great for your lung capacity and cardiovascular endurance as I was standing there dripping in perspiration standing still.  Maybe I'll make the effort one day to get out there with my sneakers instead of my camera and embrace what Brandon exemplifies.  It's also very cool to think about the fact that as he was running and moving, so was Venus and the other planetary forces.  If I was in fact a runner, I'd probably find a ritual in that thought as I went out into the heat of the sun.

After I made it to the top of the stairs and looked across the river at the setting sun, I decided to find a location closer to the river to shoot.  I didn't have much time, but I went for it.  Well, by the time I set up the sun started moving behind a cloud that I didn't see at first.  Somehow grabbing a picture of Venus got lost in my mind unfortunately, and I took a few pictures of the sun, with Venus in transit, escaping us for another 105 years.  It's a good lesson if grabbing the opportunity when it's there because that moment in time will not return and conditions DO change out of your control.  I'll have to be satisfied with my photo set from the observatory  and enjoy the story and experience in that.  :)

Chasing Venus and the sun did lead me to finding a pathway to the river...let's see how that will open up another world.