Vernal Light.

Vernal Sunset

Evocative natural beauty.
Attempting to savor and enjoy its transcending magic, I tried to capture and convey my experiences in images rather than words. These might - in their simplicity and simultaneously their complexity - more adequately describe my recent encounters than any lengthy writing.
Sometimes silence is golden.

Thus I present to you my tribute to the returning light and my fascination with the time of vernal twilight, the evening sky and the celestial objects adoring my views currently.

Happy Easter everyone - I shall return with a more profound writing next week.
Until then, may these images speak more than words.

Almost Full Moon

Moon Rise

Sunset From Our Garden

Driving Home

Solar Power Upon Dusk

Midsummer Night.

We have crossed yet another seasonal threshold.
The day of the Summer Solstice is such an enchanting occurrence and yet it also instigates a gentle melancholy in me.

June is signified by the duality of Gemini and thus the first summer day reflects too a joy and simultaneously a sadness. A pinnacle of light has been reached – even though summer is only beginning; the sun now embarks onto a reverse journey away from us, shortening our daylight by each passing week...

Ever since my move north a year ago, I rarely thought about the stunning vistas at the white house - yet I do so very much currently and I truly miss them...
Gone is the unrestricted view of the horizon, the mesmerizing late night sunsets, which set the heaven on fire, the beauty of the illuminated midnight sky and the enticing glow of noctilucent clouds - these light shows played out in front of my windows almost every day through out the summer - year after year, never to loose their allure.

Our low lying house has no extraordinary views to speak off. The only sign telling me we are indeed amidst the time of the white nights are our solar lamps and lanterns, decorating the shielded patio and glowing silently yet persistently in the dusk that has replaced the nights.

And yet, stepping out into our garden in the stillness of the midnight twilight, I can nevertheless trace the silvery sky beyond the treetops and gaze mesmerized at the starless heavens above me as we cross into the small hours of the morning. Unmistakably, the air holds an aura of enchantment and one can easily fall for the magic of the Midsummer Night, when secret portals are open and the esoteric lurks in the shadows.

Storing Sun Rays.

Some of you might remember that I purchased an unusual solar lamp about a month ago.
Made out of clay, it looks like an interesting candle holder. However, it contains a solar panel that catches the sun light during the day and emits a warm, yellow light upon the onset of dusk. The most intriguing feature about this lovely solar lamp is the fact that it flickers, simulating a candle.

The White Nights officially ended on the 7th of August and this means that the amount of sunlight is decreasing as well. However, it is still sufficient enough to charge all my solar lamps. I have had a lot of enjoyment from all of them over the course of the summer, particularly this new one.
I have placed it just outside the large window next to the main entrance door. Its warm flickering light makes my entrance inviting after the darkness settles over the neighbourhood. Additionally, it can be seen both from the outside and the inside of the house, thus functioning as a sort of a nightlight, casting a magical, almost ethereal light across the staircase during the darkest hours of the night.

After The Rain...

It has cooled down considerably. Yesterdays rain was almost tropical, as the air was unusually warm. The weather reminded me of exotic islands close to the equator that I have visited in the past.

Today however we are back to the breezy, cool, partly sunny summer, that is so common at these latitudes. It makes for great outdoor activities but is not very suitable for the sun-worshipers, such as myself. Instead of spending hours on the terrace, today might be a perfect day for gardening. I already visited Bauhaus, a large retailer of home improvement and construction products, similar to the American "Home Depot". They had sales on gardening products and I purchased several new solar lamps. Among others I bought this cute terracotta solar lantern. Powered by solar energy, it has a rechargeable battery and when it gets dark, the light inside will flicker, simulating a real candle. I cannot wait to see it alight.

My Jackmanii clematis is doing very well. Yesterdays rain was highly beneficial. No matter how much I water my plants, the vital summer rain has no comparison. It is now about half way into its flowering period and within a couple of weeks, it will reach it's blooming peak.

Catching Sunlight.

The season of the long, light evenings has started. On average, the days have gained almost eight hours of light since the winter solstice. This increase in light, plus the fact that April has now officially broken the "sunshine record", is the reason why all my solar lamps are suddenly alive.
I have a few of them scattered here and there around my terrace. Some are old, some are new. Some are simple lamps, some are decorative lanterns. They shine with warm, yellow light which is triggered by the twillight. Powered by solar energy, some of them can be alight for many hours.

My favourite is a lantern that I have placed on top of my coffee table in front of the house. It can be used with normal batteries in winter, when the sun is absent. In summer, the two rechargeable batteries that run on solar power keep it lit through out the night. Additionally, when the lamp is on, the emitting light flickers, simulating a candle; which is always a welcoming site for anyone that approaches my house at dusk, during spring and summer evenings.