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 ‘Nature Notes’ 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
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 »
the sparrow window
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged architecture, art, Back Bay, birds, Boston, Church of the Covenant, frederick wilson, jesus parables, Photography, sparrows, stained glass windows, Tiffany windows on July 12, 2013| 4 Comments »
With more time available, I was able to return to the Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street in Boston. Given the time of day and the angle of the light, I was drawn to photograph what I later learned to be the Sparrow window. Here’s what the church’s self-guided tour brochure says: “Based on one of Jesus’ parables, the Sparrow window is a tour-de-force of Tiffany art using drapery or ribbed glass for clothing, and mottled glass or confetti glass for the background. Frederick Wilson designed this image of Jesus as a young working carpenter, with a yoke on his back, pausing to sympathize with the plight of a small bird that only he can see clearly.”
Additional stained glass images can be viewed here.
If you’re in Boston and would like to visit for yourself, information can be found here.
fishing at spot pond
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road, tagged dragonfly, fish, fishing, Inspiration, landscape, Middlesex Fells, nature, Photography, Spot Pond, sunlight, water on July 7, 2013| 5 Comments »
As we rested with feet in the pond, Steve kept trying to identify the fish swimming in the shallows so that we could return with the proper lures. We had not come prepared to fish, only to scout a new possible location. I snapped a few fishy photos for him but then I got distracted by sunlight on water and other creatures by the shore.
You can read more about Spot Pond and other features of the Middlesex Fells here. I’m not sure if he and I will return to fish. You see, he actually likes to catch fish. I am more into the zen of fishing. We’ll see … 😉
in the landlord’s garden
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged colors, flowers, gardens, Inspiration, nature, nature photography, Photography on July 7, 2013| 3 Comments »
On my way home from work, I decided to detour through the landlord’s garden. I was a bit cautious because I know there’s a rat that calls the garden home. On occasion I’ve seen a rabbit nibbling at the greens. And there’s a neighbor’s cat that likes to nestle in the lavender. She must smell quite lovely when she returns home.
Words + Images 