This scene lasted for only a few hours this morning. I would have loved to capture it for a bit longer, but it is perhaps the fleeting nature of the scene that accounts for its poignancy. In that brief time I came upon many little vignettes where ordinary, or even ugly objects had been transformed by winter’s magic touch. The cats had ventured out before us, as they feel no need for the fortifying mug of coffee before the day can begin.
I sent a banner to my cousin Shirley for Christmas. She writes, “During these stark days in the garden it’s so fun to see the bright colors and the gentle movement where everything else is dormant. Soon all the bulbs I have planted will begin to brighten the landscape. The additional high colors of the banner will be a focal point among my daffodils and primroses.”
So many folks think of the banners as strictly summertime indulgences, but it is the dark days of winter when I enjoy them the most.
Happy New Year! I have a good feeling about 2008. Part of it is aesthetics. Don’t you think it looks nice on the page? Appealingly curvaceous in almost any font, and nicely balanced. Politically, well, don’t get me started…but it gives me hope for something better to look forward to.