Catch the Wind

October 15, 2014

"When rain has hung the leaves with tears... Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind..." These lyrics are from one of my favorite songs, Catch the Wind, written by Donovan Leitch, which makes a great soundtrack for an autumn day.

The day these photos were taken, the leaves were heavy with rain, and a wind blew up from the southwest. Overcast skies deepened the colors of the season. Wind wrapped itself around my body, twirling my hair, as I stood in the meadows that line the perimeter of my property.

Catching the effects of wind in a photograph is something I strive for. Wind changes everything, not just the way my hair falls or the drape of my skirt, but also the landscape. Nature seems to either lean into it or bend with it, depending on its force and the direction from which it is coming.

Isn't that what we do in this life, when something strong and fierce is bearing down on us? We either lean into it and fight to hold our ground or give into it and let it blow us away. I am one who is working on staying grounded, on not allowing myself to be blown away-- except by beauty and good poetry and authentic emotion and, above all, love. Those elements are an entirely different story! And not only do I want to catch the winds that brings those things my way, I want to harness them and ride them as far as they will take me.

Until next time...

Anne

Rainy Days of Autumn

October 13, 2014

In southern Illinois, fall typically seems to be the rainy season. This October seems to be no exception. We have had rain and clouds for four days in a row. Some people might see this as depressing or dreary. They may tire of the grey skies and the damp.

I, however, love the grey days of fall. When the leaves start changing color, beneath a cover of clouds, they glow with a vibrancy that belies their slow, inevitable demise. These days invite contemplation and reverie. I tend to write more poetry in the fall, to daydream more, to journal more, to read more. For one who is an introvert, it doesn't get any better than this.

The other day, while driving back from a photo shoot, I stopped at the scenic overlook near my house and snapped a few photographs with my black umbrella. There was a drizzle coming down, punctuated by heavier bursts of rain. Mist rose from the valley below and billowed around me. A light wind swirled through the tree tops. It was absolutely magical!

These days of autumn are golden. May you enjoy their quiet beauty.

Until next time...

Anne

Rainy Day Images

August 14, 2014

Rain fell softly, early that morning. Mist spilled across the bluff top, rising from the fertile valley below, enveloping the tree canopy in a cloak of wonder. The ancient bluffs barely took notice. How many rain showers had they seen during the eons of their existence, gently wearing away their grey sandstone, layer after layer, a geological shedding of the skin? They stood stoically by as the drizzle fell, immune to its magic. I, on the other hand, rejoiced.

There is a certain enchantment in the air which I only feel during times of rain. Perhaps it is the charge of electricity in the air that accompanies a lightening storm, when atmospheric nitrogen becomes available to plants, nourishing them with every flash of light . Perhaps it is the way that rain is the great sustainer of life as we know it. After a rain, everything is renewed. Or perhaps it is the way the light is softer, lacking harsh pockets of sun and shadow that accompany the sunniest of days. I feel a greater connection to both the rhythms of nature and to my inner world during a rain shower. Some rainy days are an invitation to stay indoors, to indulge my contemplative side. Other rainy days beckon me to come out to play. This particular day was one of those.

Until next time...

Anne