There’s something very simple and abstract to an image when you remove the surrounding landscape. Lines become more pronounced. Colors, or the lack of colors in some areas, takes on a different significance. This scene caught my eye when we were out boating. The golds and greens at the top of the image are the reflection of the far side of the lake as the late evening sun is illuminating it. Some of the water ripples pick up those colors too. The lines of the wake are interrupted by the lily pads which are now starting to appear throughout the lake; they contribute their own tension to the image. And the entire photo shifts from the warmth of the sun-lit trees to the cool blues and whites of the reflected sky. It’s truly an abstract image yet it pulls together all the things we cherish about summer in the North.
landscapes
Full moonrise
This past week there was a full moonrise – the strawberry moon, as it’s called. Although I can’t attest to seeing a strawberry tint where I was, the moonrise was beautiful. The sun had set, the wind had stilled, and the night air held the warmth and humidity of the day. Slowly the moon rose above the trees on the opposite shore, clearing them and throwing its reflection into the lake below. If you listened for awhile you could hear the cry of a loon. And in the grasses by the side of the lake, the fireflies started to blink. It was a beautiful night — just the kind we dream of during the bitter cold of winter.
The greening of spring into summer
The seasons move quickly from spring into summer and this year seems to have moved faster than normal. Everything has turned to a beautiful bright green — the color of new growth, late spring, and early summer. We’ve had enough rain to keep things fresh and the heat hasn’t set in yet. This graceful fern was backlit in the garden, accentuating each leaf and its lovely color. Its beauty was stunning, and I also know it will be fleeting as the green will become darker and not nearly as bright. It’s a reminder to me to appreciate the season and the time we’re in now as it changes ever-so-quickly and what we see today will not be the same tomorrow.
A summer storm rolls in
High heat and humidity can only last for so long. Eventually the atmosphere needs to clear it all out. As the sunshine disappeared, the air stilled and the clouds moved in. There was just a line of light on the far shoreline, but the rest of the sky was filled with billowing clouds – grey and dark. Their reflection in the eerie calm of the lake seemed ominous. A few minutes later the rain started in big drops, the wind picked up, and the rain became steady giving us the much-needed moisture.
Beauty of a chilly dawn
The temperature dropped down into the 30’s overnight. When I woke in the morning, the sun was trying to break through the fog and steam that was coming up off the lake. The air was quiet, without a breeze, but it was filled with the sound of birds – blue jays, robins, woodpeckers, geese, ducks, and loons. It was an early, chilly, and beautiful beginning to a sunny and warm day.
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