It has been my habit for many years, to have all my Christmas cards written by Thanksgiving and in the days when I did shopping, that too had to be completed.
Living on Long Island and even when I was just outside Seattle, approaching a shopping mall after the last Thursday in November was more than I was prepared to tolerate.
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Christmas has never been my favourite time, but until this year I always managed to find a few words to write. Just now, I haven’t the heart for it.
The best Christmas card I ever found was so simple. The image was of a lamb, curled up asleep with a young shepherd boy. Inside a single word :
PEACE
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Weather conditions have been conducive to contrails lately.
One afternoon we went up to the far corner of the field and stood enjoying it as it morphed from moment to moment.
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One contrail began to our south, beyond the house
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It continued over the woods…
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..and to the distant northern horizon.
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Neither of us had ever before seen such a long contrail and simultaneously commented that it appeared to show the curvature of the earth.
In fact the curve may have indicated nothing more grand than a course alteration, but we do have very wide horizons.
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Contrails aside, there is much to enjoy
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Wending our way back to the house, we passed the stick pile which was intended to be a bonfire but instead has become home to a variety of birds and others, no doubt.
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A Carolina wren is one of my tenants.
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Poor old Nibbs was waiting on the porch, hoping to have his bowl re-filled. You can see that his eyes still indicated something amiss with his health, although in every other way he seemed just fine.
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He scampered up to meet us,
and had a game of chase the stick.
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Then he reclined regally on the tree stump.
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The artist was still at work as the day drew in.
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This day, the flourishes were exquisite.
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A dragon’s head took form, briefly…
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The variety of designs is infinite and the contrasts can be quite startling.
A few days ago I captured a whole different set of images which I’ll post….not now.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the stunning sky pictures!
Joanna
Today was an amazing day for contrails!
We never see contrails here in East London (although there is an airport here). That’s maybe because planes have just taken off. When we are in Langebaan, we see it often. Then I always wonder where the people are heading to and whether they are excited to go on a trip or sad to leave loved ones behind.
Yes, I always wonder about the people up there too.