Sunrise and Rainbow [22]

My sister sent me a text when I was downstairs in my mother’s house, working at the dining table.

It was 7am. The house was silent. Everybody was fast asleep.

‘There’s a rainbow outside’ she wrote.

Immediately I jumped up, yanked open the curtains, and this is what I saw.

On one side, a gorgeous rainbow. Then behind me, opposite the rainbow, the prettiest sunrise!

Needless to say today I did not manage to sit to write a proper blog post. But I can’t miss a day, not when we are this close to the finish line. Every day in November a blog post! So here is my contribution from today. My eyes are stinging with exhaustion, I am about to collapse into bed, hoping my kids sleep through the night tonight! And I am happy I managed to get a post out before November 22 ends!

Sun [14]

Sometimes you can look directly at the sun.

I don’t know why, it’s a fascinating phenomenon. I assume it must be because the clouds which cover it block out most of the searing rays, and so you are left with just the bright circle of our closest star.

Could be mistaken for a moon.

I was mesmerised for a good five minutes this afternoon. My photos below look like I could have captured the moon. But believe me, it is the sun!

Sunshine and Cactus

 

I think sunshine has a habit of making everything look better, and feel better, and sound better, and taste better. Here in Britain we live under a perpetual cloud. The winter sky is characteristically overcast, gloomy light turning everything into monotone. When the sun finally does manage to beam her face down at us, once the relentless clouds have given her the stage for a moment or two, the world is suddenly flushed with colours I never knew existed!

Wow, grass is THAT GREEN?! 

That tarmac is looking particularly handsome today!

My goodness, I never noticed how very pink those roses are.

Oh, glory days, this doorstep is the most gorgeous russet I have ever set my eyes on. Peonies nodding in sunlit breeze. Gleaming black railings against the stark white of a Kensington building.

Everything has a humming vibrancy when the sun comes out.

n.b The photo taken above was actually in Spain.

i miss this

I miss this beautiful place.

Spreading Some Joy

I don’t have many words to use anymore. I am spent. So I leave you with a photograph of a snippet of happiness. Children and bubbles, long summer evenings. And a man spreading joy.

Image Credit: Yours truly

Nothing To Say

I have nothing to say.

So I will leave you with a photo of Loch Ness.

Contrast

The street is empty; a lone light glowing in a golden halo of its own illuminates the pale darkness of twilight, with an almost fairy tale light of its own.

“Don’t Touch, Don’t Sniff. Thanks!”

Oh what a shame.

Pretty in Miniature

Seen in a little shop window in Venice.

Isn’t this just so small and pretty and joy-inducing?!