In the Picture: November

This month's theme for our November self-portrait linky party is:

"I am grateful"

There are so many things

that I am grateful for

but

one thing which comes instantly to my mind is this:

I am grateful for clean and plentiful water

to drink

to wash in

to cook with

to brush my teeth.

I am grateful that I do not have to walk for hours

with a heavy container balanced on my head

to fetch water from a distant well.

Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscoro

which means light/dark contrast.

This month's exercise in

"Exploring with a Camera"

is to try and capture the artistic technique of using light and dark

to render an object as three dimensional in two dimensional art.

Kat Sloma of kateyestudio.com

says:

'In photography, the concept of chiaroscuro can be used to create dramatic images.'

Coming out of the mist

Sunrays against the mist

I can feel the surface of the wooden fence thanks to the black backdrop which seems to bring it forward.

Walking towards the light from the depths of the woods

Leaving the wooded area

Catching the light in a backroom of the local baker's

walking in my neighbourhood before 7 a.m. this morning!

Petal poetry

Orange and yellow

Fold after fold of satin

Ruffles and perfume

Cascading

Sublime.

Catching the light

The weathercock points its beak in a mottled blue sky

and tones of yellow and gold and rich brown fill the woods

a lone leaf rests its golden head on the fence

and the beech leaves glint in the afternoon sun

The green grass receives an eiderdown of copper 

and the wooden bench beckons as I turn back to go home

Down the hill, back to my neighbourhood and admiring the colourful Larch trees on the way.

I'm so fortunate and grateful to have all these lovely areas

within easy walking distance of the town in which I live.

Photo-Heart Connection: October

Coming back home through the streets from a walk in my neighbourhood,

looking around me with pleasure and awareness,

this ordinary moment suddenly became extraordinary!

What happened?

Will Nature never cease to surprise me?

I came to a standstill with a quick intake of breath

as I bathed in this wonderful reflection of autumn's glory

in a shiny dark blue surface!

The sky and the trees had come down to meet me

lest I forget to look up

and bathe myself in their presence.

Nature, the artist, 

uses her paintbrush to bring us into the moment

where everything else falls away

and there remains just simplicity

and beauty.

Joining in the monthly meeting with others as we reconnect

here:

Snowy encounter

Snow!

In October?

Yes! 

It all happened last weekend on Saturday afternoon.

Very tiny swirling snowflakes filled the sky

looking very innocent

as if they didn't mean to settle at all!

But settle they did... just look at my surprised Chinese Lantern!

The beautiful blooming autumn flowers

take on a new form of beauty,

but they have been reminded of the cycle of the seasons

and all is as it should be...

A fallen leaf becomes a receptacle for snow crystals

and manages to look as if this was its only role in life

and harmony pervades.

On Monday, the sun returned, the leaves took on a golden glow once again

and the snow put on its prettiest face

pretending it was all a joke!

The melting snow allowed the tiles on the roofs

to regain their cloak of moss and leaves.

Thank you, thank you,

 murmured the flowers from my balcony...

There were so many of them blooming still when those first snowflakes started falling.

I rushed out to pick them all and put them in vases everywhere.

Their pink blooms still embellish my home

and remind me that summer will return again!

Toronto City

This is my first view of the Toronto City as I crossed the water

in the ferry from the Toronto Airport.

What do you think?

I stayed in the second tall building from the left

on the last but one floor!

In the lifts, it says: Floor 55...

Once in the high building,

I gingerly shuffled my way across the balcony

not quite to the edge!

"Don't look down"! My son called out to me.

I did, but not on that first day!

Late afternoon was a good time of the day

for power-walks or strolls.

This one took us down to the lake away from the sky-scrapers

and alongside a park with trees and grass.

So many people were running or cycling - 

all of them going as if their life depended on it!

This is life in the fast lane... watch out strollers, you're in the way

and going too slowly for our city speed!

The sky darkens and the glorious sunset bathes the buildings in a golden light!

This is the view from the apartment.

You can see the C.N. Tower, famous landmark which stands high above

all the other buildings.

You don't need a map in Toronto, you just need to look up and see where the tower is.

Of course, it helps if you're living nearby, like I was!

I couldn't get enough of those sunsets

and the way they lit up the windows in the buildings.

At such moments, you can hear the heartbeat of the city.

One evening, we went out with our cameras and tripods and practised

night photography.

We stood on a little bridge and waited for the traffic lights

to turn green!

On the way home, I noticed some interesting reflections.

That tower always seems to be in the picture!

See what I mean?

The big dome shape below the tower is the

Rogers Centre, the city's sport stadium. The roof is retractable and motorized.

 Among other sports,

Baseball, Canadian football and Basket Ball are played here.

The centre is also used for concerts and other manifestations.

This is the top part of the C.N. Tower which houses a revolving restaurant.

There is a very rapid lift in the stem of the tower which takes you to the top.

Ending up with a peaceful late afternoon shot taken from above.