Tuesday, September 30, 2008

dwindle



After autumn equinox, the light becomes precious. Part of that has to do with the alarming reality of the incredible shrinking days. Another piece - at least for me - is about the quality of light at this time of year.

Brother Sun shines pure gold from equinox until Halloween in this corner of the landscape. That color enhances everything about the season. The turning leaves, deep blue sky, the river and all our super white monuments, are all illuminated by the gold light, made radiant and graceful, like a pre-Raphaelite painting. Our city couldn't be more gorgeous.

Sometimes I wish there was some way to capture a little bit of autumnal light, put it in a bottle and save it for one of the dark days right around winter solstice.

Except ... winter solstice is about paper thin, silvery white sunlight. Scarce as daylight is at that time of year, it's exquisitely beautiful. Gold light in winter would be, well, weird.

And anyway this autumnal gold can't be captured, not even digitally (though lord knows every year I try). If I want to enjoy the seasonal light, I've got to get out into it as much as possible, drink it in while it lasts. I'll be able to catch a few rays today, a great gift. (Yes I dropped an atomic bomb of antibiotics into my system yesterday, with enthusiasm, I might add. Yes they leave a strange taste in the mouth and make me queasy, yes. But compared to pneumonia, which is what I have, they're wonderful. Thank God for antibiotics.)

Thank God for the gold light of autumn. Amen, Brother Sun! Amen.

15 comments:

Angela said...

I think this cónstant changing of nature is precious. I also enjoy walking with slurping feet (do you say that?) through the fallen leaves and enjoy the last rays of sister sun (sun is a sister in German). And I eat an apple from our garden and bake a plum cake and don`t even mind an occasional drizzle (like just now). Fall is a good time of year, isn`t it?
Right that you took antibiotics!

Reya Mellicker said...

We don't say "slurping feet" - but we should! Describes it perfectly!

Sun is a sister? Oh! I like that!

tut-tut said...

I love your descriptions of light here, especially the "paper thin, silvery white sunlight" of the solstice time. It is a radiant time of year, despite what is happening! It is easy to forget that we are here so short a time span.

Lori ann said...

reya, so sorry to hear about the pneumonia!ick,yuck,poor thing, at least now you know what to do.if ever there was a time and a place for the antibiotic it is good for you now.
i LOVE your right on description of light.being married to a professional photographer,and myself a fumbling amateur, that is what we follow as much as the photo itself.that majic hour. to me, it matters not the subject, even a field of weeds becomes a picture of beauty when it gets that glow. Beautiful!
feel better!!
xx lori

Steve Reed said...

Pneumonia?! Oh, Reya, take care of yourself. Glad you got the antibiotics.

I love fall's golden light, made even more golden by all the trees and vegetation. This is the best time of year, in my book.

Lynne said...

Pneumonia! Aren't you glad you started the antibiotics? That is nothing to fool around with. My goodness.

Yes, the light is lovely this time of year. So gentle and kind to all is shines down upon. Love it!

Do rest up and take care!
xx

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

One of the most wonderful things about autumn. The incandescent quality of the light.

Barbara said...

Glad to hear you're on the mend. And glad you found a "drug dealer". Just be glad you haven't been abusing your system with unnecessary antibiotics all these years. Yogurt is a good way to counteract the sometimes unpleasant side effects, but then you probably already knew that.

Reya Mellicker said...

Thanks. Yes yogurt (which is a regular part of my diet anyway) and soup, more soup and MORE soup. Soup is my current lifestyle.

I'm holistic which to me means I believe in all forms of medicine. I always say to my clients that I think antibiotics are over prescribed, but that if I ever get pneumonia, I would definitely take them. Why did I choose pneumonia as my example? Some part of me saw it coming. Interesting.

Anonymous said...

Antibiotics are a very good thing, at times like these. In the olden days, pre-antibiotic era, folks died of pneumonia.

I'm glad you went to get checked out. Hope you feel better soon.

Jennie (WV)

tam said...

Yep, sometimes you have to have to take them, and this is one of those times. Hope you're feeling better. Thanks for the lovely descriptions of the light in your part of the world - gorgeous.

Val said...

so glad you are feeling better and on the mend. and what a lovely descriptive blog! thank you :-)

mouse (aka kimy) said...

yikes pneumonia! you take care you hear!

if anyone can capture autumnal light it would be you.

beautiful description ....

lettuce said...

reya, lots of love to you - happy new year and wishes for healing. I hope the pneumonia isn't too painful and you're feeling better - and will be able to enjoy that beautiful light.

Barbara Martin said...

Rest, and drink lots!!! So the antibiotics work faster, and liquid helps to flush your system.

Nice to know you'll be better soon, after the coughing stops. Did you get puffers too? If so, use them. I'm a been there lots of times with pneumonia, once hospitalized in England for five days with it. Once you have, you'll have a tendency to get it again, so you will have to be careful in the future.

Autumn sunshine is special for me too.