Rear View

 

With just a few hours left in 2020, most of us aren't terribly sad to see it go.  And about the photo, I can explain.  In the last little while I'd been contemplating what to post for the finale of this year that included a pandemic, social unrest, political divisiveness and a contentious election cycle, extreme weather events, food insecurity and more.  Whew.  Given all of that, nothing came to mind.  

Nothing at least until I was trying to figure out how to use a new tablet whose features differ greatly from the older version.  In my clumsiness and misuse of buttons, mistakenly I captured this photo which is nothing more than a screenshot of the device's photo library.  At that was it.  I knew in an instant this image spoke to me about the past several months.

First, much of it seems like a blur, especially since mid-March when the shut down created a new reality that none of us imagined.  And while so much seems the same and incomprehensible, each day was very similar yet very different from the others.  Although initially my thoughts tried to resist the facts and would easily succumb to all the scary,  what-if scenarios, eventually I began to coexist with this new version of normal.  Just as in the photo, there were darker days as well as a lot of new and enjoyable opportunities.  Essentially for me, this unexpected and bizarre photo seems to be the perfect reflection on a year none of us will soon forget.

“Day 7 of social distancing: Struck up a conversation with a spider today. 

Seems nice. He’s a web designer.”    

                                                                                                                    —Unknown

Holiday Decor

Several years have passed since I took this photo but each December as I review holiday images, it grabs my attention and my gaze lingers.  Several things I love, including the striking colors, shapes, textures and the falling snow.  All of these elements create interest and represent items associated with the holidays and this season of light despite the daylight hours being the fewest of the year.  Simple things that resonate with me.

• "Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, 
• and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." 
•                                                                                                   — Norman Vincent Peale

 

La Noche Buena

 

Lights at Night

 

A Holiday Reflection

 

Recently I gave myself a chunk of time just to be creative using markers, colored pencils, rubber stamps and an old sketch pad.  With Christmas just a couple weeks away, simple holiday images kept coming to mind.  What transpired was what is visible in the photo minus the black background and blur.  Next I took to photoshop to give it another round of edits and some text.  And, I liked it and wanted to share....but the message I really wanted to share is the gift we give ourselves when we simply allow ourselves time to do whatever we please without any goals to meet and criteria to satisfy..... a great gift for any day of the year.

A Christmas Favorite

Often in December I post images of poinsettias as, in my estimation, they are beautiful.  Here they are again.  Also, regarding these plants, there are a couple notable facts: what appear to be enormous petals are actually leaves and the tiny yellow berry-like pieces in the center are the flowers.  And given that there are more than 150 varieties, you can probably find one that's to your liking.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, 

and behold everything is softer and more beautiful."

                                                                               --Norman Vincent Peale

 

Surprises in the Woods

A few days ago I opted for a walk along the same river but in a different place.  The wind was brisk and temperature typical of late November so I decided to check out Pin Oak, a Delaware County park located in eastern Iowa.  Since I hadn't been to this park since childhood, I noticed it no longer has restrooms, a shelter with picnic tables and a play area, but the beautiful forest bordering the river remains.  

In the above photo, it's easy to see the well-maintained path while the middle image shows an adorable, hand-painted birdhouse that was placed along the route.  And although I hadn't expected to find the former nor the latter, each was a perfect surprise and seemed like a welcome-back gift from Mother Nature, park workers and some other person who loves art and the woods as I much as I do.  Ahhhh....

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."         

                                                                                                                                   --Henry David Thoreau

Leaf Your Mark

 

Although the calendar now reads December, my heart remains in the autumn woods with an assortment of leaves underfoot and others still dangling above.  Of course, I can easily envision all the beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange, green and brown as well as the exposed trunks, bark and branches.  Regardless of the season, this imagined place is always spectacular.  On paper I continue to draw what I love, including some tangles with gorgeous cascading leaves, as seen above, and also more recognizable forms shown below.

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

                                                                                                                                                    --Emily Bronte