cloudydaze.org

Earth’s winter axis makes shy,
our solar star by degrees,
yet fails to obscure,
its tenacity to overcome darkness.

J.Jackson 2018

As October ends in the traditional celebration of Halloween this particular photograph is especially fit for the occasion. It was taken back in August on a bright sunny day, but it’s apparition like form immediately feted its day of appearance on this page.

Life is a contrast of shadows and brightness, the one magnifying and enhancing the other. This is perfectly expressed in this Victorian style silhouette against a rainbow coloured sky.

As the nights draw in and nature prepares to slumber in frosted cobweb eiderdowns, the trees shake off their leaves for bark warming evenings in the fiery embers of an autumnal sunset.

Love the diffused glow of the low slung autumn sunshine as it sits demurely behind a modesty screen of rippled glass like clouds. Taken at the bottom of the garden looking up and beyond a neighbours roof I captured the sun playing hide and seek. My turn to hide!

She walks – the lady of my delight –
A Shepherdess of sheep
Her flocks are thoughts. She keeps them white;
She guards them from the steep;
She feeds them on the fragrant height,
And folds them in for sleep.

by Alice Meynell

How wonderful it would be if this mountain and lake view was a reality but if you look closely you’ll see it’s a perfect example of trompe l’œil, nature having its little joke I wish it was real!

Something to brighten up a grey rainy day. I love the way the foliage frames the view over this farmers field. As I leaned on the gate to steady myself the light changed so rapidly that I took a few photos of the same scene. Each one is completely different in its kaleidoscopic feel but the framing on this particular shot gives it much more depth and so it’s the one I’m sharing with you. I use a meditation app and it often reiterates that there is always a blue sky behind the clouds and this is a perfect representation of that belief.

Another optical illusion in that the sun, having been captured within the branches of the tree, appears to be suspended over a rolling slate coloured sea. Taken from my usual position perched on a brick overlooking the neighbours garden (apologies neighbour but you have the best view!).

I love this photograph because it’s reminiscent of frothy sea foam on a stormy day and central to the drama a sea serpent rises from the depths.