Reflections of June Skies

Perhaps it’s because there are so many foggy days in springtime in Nova Scotia that each blue sky is considered extraordinary.  We can’t take any for granted and each one is a wonder unto itself.

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reflected in the water, skies here make an impression both above and below the horizon line.  Some days, the blue is mixed with grey, some days with pink.

The sky is one whole, the water another; and between those two infinities the soul of man is in loneliness.
~ Henryk Sienkiewicz

Right after taking the above photograph at dawn, I saw a young couple still in graduation dance attire drive by.   Going to the beach at dawn to see the sun rise seemed like a fitting end to an already memorable day.

We all see something different when we look at the sky, projecting onto it our feelings of either loneliness, sadness, joy or contentment.  Some of us look to the sky and dream hopeful dreams while others feel the weight of regrets and mourn past losses.   Regardless of the land-, sea- or sky-scape, nothing matters as much as our point of view.

The soul can split the sky in two and let the face of God shine through.

~ Edna St.Vincent Millay

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Sunrise Cure

Seeing the sea from so many vantage points is one of the perks of living in Nova Scotia, especially around the Halifax region.  While driving or walking, seeing the ocean out of the corner of your eye always boosts the spirit.   Like the sky, the Atlantic is always changing and offering something new to see every day.

Sunrises reflected over salt water are especially beautiful.  After decades of looking out towards the sea, it’s still a wonder to me that this water and the water seen from Africa’s western shores are one and the same.  Supposedly, prior to Continental Drift, the land around Cow Bay was once connected to Africa.  Somehow, the idea that Cow Bay’s sandy shores may share a common history with Namibian sands makes this place seem even more special.  

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had to rush past awe-inspiring sunrises over the ocean while on my way to work in the early mornings.   Nevertheless, even a glimpse of such an ocean sunrise is sure to give you some immunity to whatever the rest of the day may throw at you.  Could it be the reflection of sunrise colours in the water that persists in our memory throughout the day?  Or is it the sense of having been alone with God for just that moment at the break of  dawn?

The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea. 
~Isak Dinesen

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Red Sky in Morning

Red sky at night, sailors’ delight;
Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.

When there’s so much in the world that can’t be predicted, it’s comforting to witness a natural phenomenon that actually delivers on its promise. Not being a sailor, I didn’t realize it at the time, but Monday morning’s red sky warned of bad weather ahead.  And so it was. First there were ice pellets and later rain, and then on Tuesday morning, more rain and high winds. 

Supposedly, a red sunrise reflects the dust particles of a system that has just passed from the west. This indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. If the morning sky is a deep fiery red, it means a high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain is on its way. [From Everyday Mysteries at The Library of Congress]

When I took these photographs, I was only thinking of how beautiful the blushing sky appeared behind the silhouettes of the trees.  It didn’t dawn on me that a storm was on its way.  I wonder what other ‘signs of the times’ are as potentially revealing to us as red dawns.  What else are we missing while distracted by what we are seeing on the surface of things?

…When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.
~ Jesus     Matt. 16:2-3

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Epiphany

When you look at the sky, do you see the clouds or the blue and the light shining through?  Of course, on some days, the blue is more difficult to see.  You might have to look at the whole sky and not just your usual section of it.  Perhaps there’s just a corner of blue or light off in the distance.  But it’s there.

Other days, you might only be able to see beyond the clouds at certain times of the day.  Early morning is usually a time when the sunlight makes itself seen, even on overcast days.  Sometimes you have to work extra hard to see the light by going outside in the dark cold, but the effort is worthwhile.

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
~ Rumi

Being a light-seeker has its rewards.  One who chooses to seek out and see the light can’t help but become ‘light-hearted’ over time.  At its essence, is being light-hearted not unlike feeling and thinking like a child?  If so, it’s no wonder that laughter and a sense of humour come easy to those who choose to look beyond the shadows.

Einstein said that the biggest decision any of us face in life is whether or not we believe the universe is friendly.  I believe it is.  Do you?

Life is shaded, through and through
Mostly by man’s point of view.
~ Anonymous

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December’s First Full Moon

For ages humans have wondered about the effects of a full moon on the planet.  If tides are at their highest (and lowest) during this phase, wouldn’t anything that has a high water content, such as plant and animal life, be affected too?

Supposedly, timber isn’t harvested in tropical rainforests during a full moon as sap rises in the trees at that time.  This phenomena attracts death-watch beetles, insects known to destroy timber.  Does sap rise in the trees here too during a full moon?

There are nights when the wolves are silent, and only the moon howls.

~ George Carlin

Since a full moon is ten times brighter than a crescent moon, one would assume that nocturnal wildlife has more light with which to forage and hunt during the night hours.  However, raccoon hunters often find their prey less active on full moon nights and some deer hunters believe that deer are actually more active at noon during a full moon.  Despite all the research that’s been done, animal and human activity during this moon phase is still a mystery.

The two photos above were taken at 6 am this morning while the photo below was taken an hour later, half an hour before sunrise.  It looks more like the sun than the moon is peeking out from behind the trees. 

Full moons occur every 29.5 days and the next one will be on New Year’s Eve.  Since it will be the second full moon of the calendar month, it will be what’s known as a ‘blue moon,’ an event that occurs, on average, once every three years.

When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the creator.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

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Clouds in the Water

What is it about reflections of clouds in the water that make ominous weather seem less dreadful?  In the salt marsh, the mirrored effect opens up the landscape and brings light between the grasses.

Although the water was still during high tide this morning, ripples created by ducks managed to fragment the light on the water. 

From a vantage point along Rosemary’s Way, the mist made the mirrored sky and trees seem even more enchanting. 

Of course, the sunrise itself gave the most beautiful reflection of all.  Clouded days have never seemed so fair.

Clouds symbolize the veils that shroud God.

~ Honore de Balzac

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Water and Sky

Though water is a constant feature in the salt marsh, during high tide, it seems like the water is everywhere.  This morning it was also the same colour as the sky, which made the entire scene appear watery.  Canada geese dotted the soft grey below the horizon line.

The narrow trail that passes through the salt marsh allows one to be surrounded by sky and water without being out in a boat.   It’s a unique experience and certainly one that’s mind opening and peaceful. 

 

Years ago, a railroad passed through this marsh connecting Musquodoboit on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia with Dartmouth.   It was named the Blueberry Express for the number of blueberries that were transported into the city for sale.  Train service carried passengers until 1960.  Travel through here would have been a wonderful experience back then too.  The views would have been just as awesome, with perhaps even more wildlife to see than there is now.

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Autumn Blues

You can’t hide your true colors as you approach the autumn of your life.

Isn’t it odd how the colors of leaves turn warm just as the weather cools?  In art, it’s known that warm colors like red, orange and yellow advance, while cool blues, greens and purples recede.

Could the warm colors be nature’s way of bringing leaves to the forefront so that we can examine and appreciate them one more time before they’re gone?

I’ve often wondered what autumn would look like if the leaves turned cool in color instead of warm?  How would the landscape look with leaves of icy blue and turquoise instead of fiery red and orange?  Perhaps the combination of cooler weather with cool colors would be too much of a shock to us after months of warm summer weather.  The warmer colors are nature’s way of easing us into the cold winter ahead.

Unlike the leaves, autumn’s skies turn bluer than usual at this time of year.  Above are excerpts of three of the bluest skies I’ve photographed in the past month.  Each one is such a unique hue.  Who would have thought there could be so many versions of ‘sky blue’ to be found at this time of year?  Nature’s true colors never cease to amaze me.

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Holiness at Dawn

What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter our daily lives?

~ E.M. Forster

Considering the beauty that’s available in nature at sunrise, I always wonder why there aren’t crowds of people outdoors at this time of day.  Perhaps it is because sunrise happens every day that it is so easily taken for granted.

Regardless of the vista, the sight is always uniquely splendid and a marvel to behold.  In the salt marsh, the reflection of sky in water multiplies the effect of the streaks of warm colors just before dawn.  Silhouettes of herons stand quietly before the wonder that is taking place.  These moments of the day seem more sacred than any others that will follow.

Even on mornings when the sky is brightly painted, it’s difficult to see everything clearly.  This factor brings to sunrise the element of mystery.  If everything was seen in a brighter light, it would be somehow less wonderful and holy.

At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without complete understanding.

~ Norman Maclean from A River Runs Through It

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