In order to see the sun rise you have to set out while it is still dark. The air will be still and cool. There may be birds greeting one another, but their calls will quickly fade into a hush along with the sound of your footsteps as you begin your walk. The sky may be a deep blue if it’s clear, or a misty blue if it’s hazy…
The anticipation of seeing the sun rise will block out all other thoughts in these pre-dawn minutes. At no other time of day is it so easy to be ‘in the moment.’
Whether you are looking towards the east from an ocean shore, the woods or a hilltop, the instant the sun kisses the horizon and awakens the day, you’ll feel a part of something bigger than yourself, your daily concerns and your dreams.
It is necessary for me to see the first point of light which begins to be dawn. It is necessary to be present alone at the resurrection of Day, in the blank silence when the sun appears. In this completely neutral instant I receive from the Eastern woods, the tall oaks, the one word ‘Day,’ which is never the same. It is never spoken in any known language.
~ Thomas Merton from Day of a Stranger
July 11, 2009 at 6:18 am
Good morning, Amy!
What a beautiful sight! I especially like the first photo, the really misty one. It is so full of atmosphere.
July 11, 2009 at 6:20 am
Oops! I mean the second one. The first photo (which is really beautiful, too!) had not yet appeared when I first looked.
July 11, 2009 at 6:29 am
Thanks Joan, both photos were taken yesterday morning at different spots along the trail. The air was clear at first and then became misty closer to the marsh.
July 11, 2009 at 9:47 am
Wonderful photos, Amy. I agree with Joan: loved the misty one
July 11, 2009 at 11:21 am
What a lovely way to start the day. I love that feeling just as the sun starts to come over the top of the trees behind the house – the air is so fresh and clear – the light so bright.
And then later I love to watch the evening come in – we sit in our soft chairs and talk softly as night creeps in.
July 12, 2009 at 4:25 am
Thank you Eldrid. The mist softens the landscape and seems to add a touch of magic.
Your evening ritual sounds lovely JoAnn. The mosquitoes have always prevented us from doing that here. They seem to be less active first thing in the morning, so being outside at dawn is more enjoyable.
July 12, 2009 at 9:42 am
I love Misty Dawn. It has a painterly quality.
I like watching the sky over large bodies of water, too.
July 12, 2009 at 11:47 am
Just lovely–thank you so much!
July 13, 2009 at 7:54 am
Gerry, watching the sky over the water sure can be peaceful as long as the mosquitoes aren’t out in full force.
Glad you enjoyed the post pj.
July 24, 2009 at 11:42 pm
For a moment I thought that second photo was of sea smoke. Wishful wintery thinking. But still lovely all the way around. (All your posts are.)
July 25, 2009 at 7:17 am
Thanks waven. We do get a lot of sea smoke here in the winter time especially, but I think this was just a misty fog. The sea smoke usually looks pretty dense in comparison.
July 25, 2009 at 7:36 am
What is “sea smoke?”
July 25, 2009 at 8:25 am
Here is a definition of sea smoke from Wikipedia:
“Sea smoke is a cloud over the sea, which could otherwise be called fog, and is usually formed when very cold air moves over warmer water. The physics are in principle similar to lake-effect snow.”
Whenever I’ve seen it in Halifax harbour, it’s been a very distinct layer with very clear edges on both the top and bottom. Maybe that’s not always the case, but the reason why I make the distinction between sea smoke and mist over the marsh.
July 25, 2009 at 12:23 pm
As I understand it, sea smoke is a cloud of ice crystals instead of water vapor and usually only occurs from about 0 degrees F on down (colder). When I’ve seen it it’s been misty-looking, very much like the photo, but hugs the surface of the water pretty closely. It’s kind of hard to explain but is really pretty (and really cold).