The Magic is Continuing to Unfold

Imprisoned in a Prism of Light ©Lynne Buchanan

The magic continues to unfold in North Florida.  The changeable weather patterns create some wonderful lighting effects.  After a wet morning, the sun suddenly lit up these great fronds creating a translucent stained glass-like effect.  The colors were so spectacular they stopped me in my tracks, and I loved how the curve of the leave echoed the lines of the leaves but perpendicularly.  After I made a few more images of the play of shadow and light on overlapping leaves, I met another dragonfly, who I once again had a long conversation with.  When I packed up my tripod to go, he came with me for a stretch.  It was the second one I talked with yesterday and about the fifth this week.  Something is going on with me and dragonflies.

Interactive Sign ©Lynne Buchanan

Just a short while earlier, I had met this beautiful creature at the pond in Kanapaha.  I have been missing the lilies that used to be there every year with their giant lily pads.  I saw some mesh in the pond and some little pads starting up again.  I asked the dragonfly what had happened.  I think he was trying to tell me, but I don't understand dragonfly language 100 percent yet.  I'm working on it.

Gloriosa Ladder ©Lynne Buchana

The flowers of course, were spectacular.  It is always lovely to see them in soft, indirect light with rain drops still clinging.  I feel so blessed to live near these wonderful gardens.  What I love most about them is how natural they seem to be–well cared for without being overly manicured.  Working on this same approach with myself lately.  

Those were some of yesterdays blessings.   Then, this morning I saw a fantastic sunrise on Paynes Prairie.  There were some clouds in the sky while I was driving there, but I didn't think it would be amazing.  It was just nice to be outside.  I thought I'd drink my coffee and meditate on the wide open expanse of land and just experience gratitude for the peacefulness the prairie always offers me.  Then shortly before the sun arose, it was like God had spilled a paint bucket.  This amazing Z cloud started to form and in the upper right corner of the image it looks just like the clouds were being poured and thrown onto the sky like a Jackson Pollock canvas.  I think that might be my favorite image, although the one of the sun just breaking through the horizon is special too.  I always look forward to the magic of the sun's first rays.  It's just by then, the cloud had stretched and smoothed and turned into what I recognize as cloud.  I love those days when nature just decides to put on some very interesting show that I wasn't at all expecting and shows me something I hadn't remotely imagined.  Makes me appreciate being in the moment even more... 

Pouring on the Clouds ©Lynne Buchanan

Paynes Prairie Sunrise ©Lynne Buchanan

Now it's back to work printing for my show at the Tensch Building in Downtown Gainesville.  I will be the featured artist at ArtWalk July 25th.