Bright Lights

No view of the lunar eclipse for me.... heavy rain & cloudy skies an hour before moon-rise & the prospects were bleak! But there was a break in the clouds as the sun set & i was hopeful... however, the brightness in the west did not spread to the east where the moon would have appeared over the hills, and as the night wore on, the cloud thickened.

We are on Teesside at the moment in the north east of England, staying near Billingham, on farmland  once owned by the chemical giant ICI. Instead of the glow of a moon in earth's shadow I watched the lights begin to appear on Tees Dock and the burning flares of various treatment plants around me.

Even without seeing, i was aware of the eclipse energy... an energy that can brings things to the surface out of the shadows, that can show things in a different light... a time for renewal & seeing different perspectives. Looking at the burning flares, I thought of energy transforming... of lunar eclipse energy... filtering down around the world...  transforming hearts and minds... breathing compassion & peace into hardened hearts & narrow minds...

I never saw these flames form the shape of a heart at the moment i clicked the shutter... not until i looked through to choose photos for this post. How wonderful is that? Energy transforming before my eyes, a symbol of compassion amongst the industry... funny where hearts turn up, eh? Clytie find them all over & has a weekly link-up at Random Hearts, if you want to see some more.

... and of course, I couldn't leave you without a picture of the moon from another night! I've just printed this one up for myself on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag. It's the first time i've tried this paper & i'm so impressed... it shows up every shade of dark blue & black with rich velvety textures, and the light is so vivid... i love it! This is one of my favourites that i've ever taken at the moment (available for sale here), now i've just got to remember where i saw a perfect frame for it! 

For more skies around the world visit

skywatch

Winter Solstice

december 21st... winter solstice... 

it began with earth moving between sun & moon...

all in alignment...

a time to think about how we are aligned within ourselves...

to evaluate our shadows...

to glow in the light of our own worth...

i was working, so couldn't photograph the sunrise

but the setting solstice sun was a sight to behold...

infusing a golden warmth

over frosted fields...

a totally different vista in the opposite direction... 

of palest pink & blue & violet...

 a surreal pearlescent glow...

what do the solstice skies speak of to you

as the days now begin to lengthen in the northern hemisphere?

can we successfully integrate these vastly different aspects...

of personality... of culture... of humanity...?

the evening solstice moon...

full... potent...

regenerated from the shadow of eclipse...

rising in phoenix colours...

whispering her message to those who will listen...

Solstice Finale

Another solstice photo-fest.. 

I didn't know which way to turn...

moon behind me...

pinkness all around... 

 literally colour in every direction...

think there'd be a case for some photoshop stitchery 

to create a 360 panoramic (if i had it!)

a final kiss as colour faded from the sky...

until all was done, and the moon dropped into the cloud...

(sky-watchers,  the full set of pics from

previous posts is here with solstice eve & sunrise)

skywatch has more amazing photos

Solstice Eve

It seemed as if the skies put on a show to herald the Summer Solstice...

the moon seemed to glow from within, not just with reflected light....

the clouds seemed to form a vortex, being drawn towards light...

which intensified with the light of the setting sun....

and the moon continued to glow....

waxing past half way... full of promise & hope & beauty...

Step Into a Cloud

Dramatic sunsets continue to catch my attention...

the intensity of the colours, the shapes of clouds...

the burning orb that is our sun, 

casting light that is both constant & ever changing.

Only a week ago the the sunset was to the left of those trees. 

Don't you feel that you could step right into this cloud... 

on the way to some other dimension?

Expand you mind and step inside...

feel the wonder of creation...

Is that an arm that curls round to keep us safe as we ride the air?

Or is it a path to slide down, then jump to the cloud next door?

Like the curl of an ocean wave... but more dreamy...

safe in our arms, we bring you calm

exhale those troubles & tensions,

 breathe in a sense of freedom...

be blessed by the breath of a fiery sky,

that gently soothes your burdens...

How inviting does that look? (especially if you click & enlarge it)

A portal... a dreamscape... a view through your mind's eye...

or simply beautiful pattern & colour?

No wonder that man is continually fascinated by the skies & beyond

For more wondrous skies take a trip in the clouds to

Thank you to all who take part & share their views

ps... skywatchers may like the next post too!

Sunset... Moonset...

Monday had a fiery sunset... reds & oranges &  a copper sun...

Small wonder then, that we had a copper moon...

monday 17th, 22:06

I saw the first sliver of the new moon, low in the sky on saturday; absolutely gorgeous, a slight haze of cloud, her full shape just visible behind her tiny crescent... but by the time I'd dashed in for my camera, it was too late. I was prepared on sunday though....

sun 16th, 21:35

If you click to enlarge.... that tiny dot in the lower right is Venus... at this time of year, in the northern hemisphere she is "The Evening Star", shining bright in the west...

sun, 23:15

An hour later the moon was deliciously copper as it sank lower in the sky in the west... but I was quite taken aback at the speed of it disappearing... how the sun's light visibly faded & shrank... Have you ever watched a moon-set? I've watched the low morning full moon's disappear before, still lit by the rising sun when I've been lucky to be out at the right time... 

The moon's path has followed the sun over the horizon the last few days, and I burnt the midnight oil to follow Monday's moon-set, determined to get a decent photo... until you are behind a camera, you don't realise how the light changes in 15minutes, never mind an hour... every time i went out i had to adjust, even though to the naked eye the moon looked the same...

monday 23:42

tues 00:19

The last one wasn't as successful, even sharpened up... there were some wisps of cloud & the reflected light had nearly faded altogether... vanishing just a few moments later...

I know, if you search for photos of the moon there's nearly a couple of million results, but these are special to me... my first successful new-moon shots with a fair amount of detail, without having to do a load of editing... and a coppery red moon too...