Sweet July

Ah, sweet July, great rounds of baled hay in the eastern Ontario highlands, deer and wild turkeys feeding under the trees at dawn and dusk, shadows stretching long skinny fingers across farm fields at the end of the day, the setting sun viewed through strands of ripening timothy, alfalfa and tall white bush clover...

The shadows slanting across pastures grow longer as days grow shorter, and as if to compensate for waning daylight hours, northern sunsets turn intense: fiery gold, inky blue and purple skies, perfect molten light and technicolor clouds. The evening sun flames amazement as it drops below the horizon.

I lean against a fence at sunset, and my camera and lens can scarcely take in all the riches on offer.  Every sunrise and every sunset dazzles the eyes, and the rising moon is as lustrous as a radiant pearl, seems lit from within.  I know the moon has no light of her own and borrows it from the sun, but it always seems otherwise at this time of the year. Health stuff or no health stuff, just how lucky can one old hen be? This fabulous light is enough to make one swoon in delight.

A very happy Fourth of July to everyone!