my rainbow plate
And when I’m not looking out the window to see what the sun is doing to water droplets, there are the rainbows illuminated by the sun on my plate.
violet curves
Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category
rainbow colors on a plate
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged colors, food, food photography, Inspiration, Photography, rainbows, sunlight, vegetables on July 29, 2013| 5 Comments »
monday fun … rain, rose clouds and rainbows in the sky
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, Frazz Comic Strip, fun, light, nature, Photography, rainbows, red clouds, refraction, science, water on July 29, 2013| 4 Comments »
I’m no illustrator but I do enjoying pressing colored pens to paper, and the weather this weekend provided a good excuse. You see, after a heavy rainfall late Friday, the sun came back out. There was that magical moment of rose red clouds appearing. I stood at one window watching the clouds form, but then by chance, I glanced over my shoulder through another window. A double rainbow graced the sky. Later I tried to explain to that science guy of mine the beauty that I’d seen of rose clouds in front of me and being surprised by the rainbows behind me. His response? “Of course. Your shadow points toward the rainbow.” Hunh?!
I grilled him all weekend and finally he was able to break it down to me in a way that I understood though it helped me to draw it out, too.
“If you’re looking at rosy colored clouds, you’re probably looking toward the sun with the sun lighting the clouds from below. The sun’s white light — and remember that white light is really all the colors combined — is being filtered through the earth’s atmosphere. Blue light is scattered leaving behind the reds.”
“If you’re looking at the rainbow, the sun must be behind you. Why? Because the rainbow is formed by white light hitting water droplets in the air. Again, white light is refracted. Different colors are scattered. The angle at which the light strikes the water droplets produces the spectrum of colors you see.”
He had more to say about angles but by then I just wanted to play with the markers.
This morning he shared the following “timely comic: with me. Enjoy: Frazz Comic Strip, July 28, 2013
musical balls
Posted in Inspiration, Music, tagged Chinese iron balls, colors, Inspiration, musical balls, musical instruments, Photography on July 25, 2013| 3 Comments »
the music man (a vignette with 2 footnotes)
Posted in Inspiration, Music, tagged Boston, compassion, homelessness, Inspiration, life, music, Paul Robeson, Photography, storytelling on July 25, 2013| 3 Comments »
This past spring I met a man in Boston Common. He sings.
I don’t remember if he had an instrument in-hand that first meeting. Most striking were his looks and that voice. Skin as dark as night. A scraggly beard and bushy eyebrows, all white as snow. His voice carried across the park. A gentle rumble. Bass, perhaps. Imagine Paul Robeson in sound.
“Can anyone spare some change? Can anyone spare some change? Can anyone spare some chaaaaaange?”
At first I ignored him. I generally have no spare change. And I have mixed feelings about giving money to panhandlers.
“Can anyone spare some change? Can anyone spare some change? Can anyone spare some chaaaaaange?”
But then one day we made eye contact. It has been ingrained that if eye contact is made with a stranger no words need be exchanged but at a minimum try to nod in greeting. And so I did.
“Can anyone spare some … ooooh … Does anyone have a pretty smile? Does anyone have a pretty smile?”
Ever since that moment, when our paths cross in the Common, which is not very often, he will change his song for me.
“Oh there’s that pretty smile. There’s that pretty smile.”
I know I can’t be the only one he does this for. I have yet to place coins in his cup, but he sure does make me feel like I brighten his day. At some point, I shall have to tell him that the sound of his voice brightens mine.
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Footnote 1: Checkout the blog Lust & Rum by photographer Anton Brookes. There, he shares pictures that are heartbreaking and deeply moving of the homeless on the streets of NYC. Following his photographic journey helps remind me to keep my eyes open to those sights I might like to ignore.
Footnote 2: If you’ve not heard the voice of Paul Robeson, you can hear a sample via the following 1 minute and 22 second clip. Enjoy.
the oak tree
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, Inspiration, light, musings, nature, outdoors, Photography, shadows, silhouettes, trees on July 24, 2013| 4 Comments »
I suppose I would have found more calm and focus sitting quietly at the base of the tree but …
it was more fun to race around peering deep into its canopy …
and, in the shifting light, not to worry about focus at all.
the sun was shining as the rain fell
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, colors, Inspiration, landscape, nature, outdoors, Photography, rain, sunlight, water, weather on July 22, 2013| 8 Comments »
As soon as we returned home from the beach, the rains began but the sun was still shining so bright. It made each drop sparkle like the proverbial diamond. With no expectation of outcomes, it was fun to lean out the window and photograph the falling water.
two figures entwined
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged art, arts, figures, human form, Inspiration, nature, outdoors, Photography, Revere Beach, sand sculpting on July 22, 2013| 8 Comments »
As a child I made mud pies dusted with dry sand as if it were confectionery sugar, but sculpting sand into delicate forms? Never learned that magic art.
This particular sculpture, Imprinted, was one of several featured at this weekend’s Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival and was created by artist Sue McGrew from Tacoma, Washington.
in Spirituality&Health Practice
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, Photography, Publication Updates, tagged health, magazines, meditation, nature, Photography, reflection, spirituality on July 21, 2013| 5 Comments »
It’s an honor to have two of my photos appearing in an upcoming issue of Spirituality&Health magazine. It is a special issue on Practice. A beautiful publication with articles that especially resonate for me right now, on topics ranging from clearing mental clutter to the spiritual practice of silence. You can learn more about this publication and other resources here.
not quite a pearl
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, crystals, Inspiration, nature, Photography, quartz, shells on July 18, 2013| 4 Comments »
an avocado melange
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged avocado, colors, food, food photography, green onions, Inspiration, lettuce, Photography, red peppers, salad, vegetables, vegetarian on July 16, 2013| 5 Comments »
Well, at least a very ripe avocado was the first ingredient and then I scavenged about the kitchen. The end result was unruly and messy but quite tasty.
Words + Images 