When I wrote the photo essay Branching Thoughts at the end of last year for Creativity-Portal.com I made some promises that I actually wasn’t sure I was going to keep, about being disciplined and stop putting off until tomorrow what I could conceivably do today. I love trees. I’ve always written about trees and once I picked up a camera I began photographing them, especially the branches. I’ve finally put together a big book of branches, a 108-page collection of images taken across Massachusetts. It is available as a soft cover book or PDF for $8.95. Click on any of the images below to check it out.
I have to admit I was much more enchanted by the first few winter storms. Now as we batten down the hatches for roughly 10 inches of snow tonight, I’m really, really, really looking forward to spring. I may feel differently in the morning when the sun’s rays strike all the white surfaces. We’ll see … 😉
Thanks for viewing this blog and all of your wonderful comments. Best wishes to you and yours this day, and may you have a Happy New Year filled with brightness.
As I post this picture taken yesterday of ice on a Belle Isle trail, I look out the kitchen window and view light dancing upon water. Not river or pond water but water pooling upon asphalt. Heavy rains in New England at the moment, and the light that shines down is street and car lights. Red, gold, green. In this photo, the sun was setting and illuminating wonderful patterns at my feet of water cradling rocks and broken glass and bits of grass.
After eating all of that bread mentioned in the previous post, let alone all of the other holiday goodies, a walk was necessary. We chose a favorite spot, Revere Beach. No snow upon the ground, but it was cold as evidenced by the water frozen in shells upon the shore. A bright sun illuminated everything even if it did not warm.
And so the morning began with sounds. Laying in bed listening to snow slide from the roof. Over breakfast listening to Steve tell stories of his night. My brothers’ voices, one via voice mail, him singing a made up song about getting up and getting started with a cup of coffee. His words inspired me to pour some beans into a white cup and photograph a single image and hope it came out well.
I continued to take random shots about the kitchen, of lemons in bowls and of rosemary. I don’t think I’m supposed to let indoor herbs bloom but I couldn’t help myself. No sounds there, just lovely periwinkle silence.
During the midst of all this, something happened. Nothing serious but one of those incidents that can color a day, darken it … if you allow. I told myself to let the incident go. To help me do so, I pulled from my bag a list of desired tasks. One of them was to look up composer Peteris Vasks. I’d only learned of him yesterday at an organ recital. The organist had played one of his pieces, Te Deum. During my research I came across this piece, Dona Nobis Pacem.
A beautiful, calming piece.
As it played on repeat in the background, I wandered around taking other photos, indoors of items on tables
and through windows of ice melting beautifully.
What that music inspired exactly I can’t say. It did encourage me, remind me even, to be present, to appreciate the beauty before me that I could see, that I could hear, and that I could imagine. We all need reminders on occasion. 😉
Words + Images 