Morning Miracles at Mid-Winter

I saw an amazing sight this morning. I was up a wee bit before the sun--which is coming up very late now due to the season and the fact a high range of hills sits close to me on the east. I can walk to where the real steep part begins and actually live on the lowest tier of foothills where erosion over millenia have left a slanting ramp leading to where the mountains really begin. Anyway as I let my dog out, I glanced to my left and saw a picture that took my breath. The sun was very close to rising directly behind one of the higher visible peaks. There was a wispy bit of cloud that lit up like an opalescent halo! I ran for my camera and did manage to get a picture but the photo is not half as impressive as the actual sight was. The colors were just too ethereal for the lens to capture but it gives a small idea. I saw it is a 'halo' to emphasize the divine nature of the Sun, our great giver of light and energy. While I certainly do not worship the sun, as some of my ancient ancestors did, I am heliotropic in that I draw energy and vitality from the sun and its light and heat. If this had happened on the actual solstice it would have really been a miracle but I call it close enough!

The last couple of days have been really awesome in terms of weather! The temperature at mid afternoon on my south-facing covered porch/patio read 72 degrees! I admit the spot is quite sheltered but the thermometer is not in the sun and the ambient air temperature even out in the open was well into the sixties. There was only a very light breeze so I could not ask for better. We turned the heater down for the midday hours and opened the back door. And this is mid December!  Now you have an idea of why my brother calls it "the promised land." After Colorado and even soggy-foggy northern California this truly is almost paradise.

One more thing to share, the latest of my fabric art desert scenes. These have gone for a special Christmas gift to a very dear old friend and I miss them already LOL. I still have the first two I did but may sell or gift them before long. I can always make more and I will gradually refine the idea and perfect it as far as I can. These two panels represent the same basic scene by night and by day. They are not perfectly the same image but I made them close. In the day, hawks or vultures fly and by night there is a crescent moon and an owl ghosting along.

Speaking of crescent moon, the moon was actually closer to full when it rose last night than it will be tonight although the full moon is officially the 17th and not the 16th. I should have snapped a picture as it was spectacular coming up over those same mountains but a bit farther north than where the sun appeared this morning. It looked enormous too with just about a third of it peaking over the crest! I may see if I can get a shot tonight.

We had a pretty but not spectacular sunset tonight; just air brushed wisps of cloud such as have been drifting across the sky all day. They turned rosy and soft gold right after sundown but were too diffuse and scattered for a good photo. I'm getting too many sunset photos anyway, if such is possible. Maybe not...but I'm trying to hold out for the really wonderful ones!