The Spirit of December

Here we are in the last month of the year!

How did that creep up on us?

The days are so short now and night comes earlier and earlier.

The lighting is sometimes so grey and dull that photography becomes a challenge.

Candlelight sets the scene early mornings and early evenings!

There have been sunny days with blue skies and I always go outside to take in the beauty.

There have been many rainy days too and walks with my umbrella.

The park benches are collecting fallen leaves

The leaves in my basket of strawberry plants have turned beautiful colours.

At the beginning of the month, there were still tiny flowers and green strawberries

that will not longer ripen.

One day, I walked down to the big park Mon Repos

and did capture these beautiful beech leaves before they joined all the others on the ground.

Next year's buds have already formed as the last leaf on a young tree still holds on.

In November, I took a very interesting course called:

30 Days of Perception

with Kim Manley Ort.

One of my favourite exercises was to go out with our camera and take a photo every ten steps.

The above collage of four photos is part of one such outing.

It was raining and I was holding my umbrella.

The photos are as follows, going from the bottom left clockwise:

A wall at eye-level with ivy and fallen leaves

A Sequoia tree trunk which looked amazingly like a man's profile

The wet road as I crossed to go to the park with car lights shining on the wet surface

Drops of rain still clinging to the wire barrier as I left the park.

The exercise suggested stopping after every ten steps and observe

looking up and down and all around.

I was fascinated to see this lovely green moss and how it had even grown a little

green 'button' in the hole of a piece of metal on the paving stones.

I was preparing some Christmas decorations and noticed this out of focus golden glow

out of the corner of my eye.

I turned my head and took the photo with the soft focus as I had seen it.

The golden glow came from tiny golden bells put onto a little silver dish

so they wouldn't roll away.

One morning, I walked into my bedroom to see tiny and magical dots of light and shadows

playing on my bookcase and wall and on the miniature chest of drawers

a souvenir from my father.

I just love moments like this for they're so fleeting.

I have been busy making crocheted gifts.

These are envelopes made for paper napkins.

More candlelight to observe as I noticed the twin flames reflected in the glass front of

my chiming clock.

That little angel moves around, doesn't she?

But now she's permanently on the small round table next to my couch

next to the candle holder in the shape of a waterlily!

You can see them both in the very first photo.

Can you see the tiny little heart that formed on the candle wick when I blew out the candle?

When we take the time to look around us and notice tiny details

we bring joy into the moment.