Strange Dream

As I type, snow lies at a depth of 3" and more falls in the darkness outside, where wood smoke hangs in the air. Inside, the ticking of a clock is the only sound. Almost two weeks have passed since the adventure began. I'm still keenly aware of the passing of time, and I am still very busy, but I find pleasure in most tasks, whether it be hand-squeezing oranges or hand-sawing wood. There is time to savour the smells and to enjoy creating new things.

Despite the great simplifying effort, I feel that I have everything I need. In fact, I probably have more than I really need in order to be happy, even now. There are no cell phones in this house, and no cable TV. 'Conveniences' such as those have always been more of a source of annoyance.

Winter is becoming my favorite season. The greens of summer are replaced with an almost dream-like black and white version of the landscape that is equally beautiful.

As always, you can see more of the expanding winter gallery here. I have a new lens and expect to have several new images to share very soon. If I can keep track of the days, I'll post weekly. I hope you'll continue to join me.

Daydreams

As the air starts to cool, I'm reminded of early morning ascents in the wilderness, where leaves are dew-covered and woodland creatures are surprised to find humans in the early light of dawn. A rushed breakfast is easily justified by lunch near the summit. A name and an altitude are not required - just a view like this:

As a part-time photographer, I can't always wait for the perfect shot. The weather and lighting can make or break a good shot, but when travelling it is very difficult to justify a long wait. I have to shoot and move on, and sometimes discard otherwise good images. On this occasion, the weather was perfect. The last cornice (as I sometimes call this shot) provides a reminder of the harsh winter while the rest of the foreground is bathed in summer sunlight. The clouds suggest the peaks are almost pushing against the roof of the world, and at 2.65 miles above sea-level, it sometimes feels like it!