Oh autumn, soon ending!! For us on the west coast, it’s mainly cloudy and wet but every so often we are surprised with a day that can surpass expectation for this time of the season.
Please visit Leanne and Laura’s Monochrome Madness for all wonderful offerings,
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France
A few thoughts and winter memories awaking:
We are passing into winter quickly though we have a month to go before the solstice. I have two birthdays to celebrate this month, my brother in the Okanagan Valley and my daughter who always insists on great fanfare, no matter how old she gets.
In December I still celebrate the birth of two Sagittarians – my mom and youngest brother. Though no longer on this earth, they were here – and enthusiastically, as their stars dictated. They are still imprinted on the the tapestry of time and space. I’m woven in there too. The fabric, though worn, is splendid with festive gold and silver, scarlet and green illuminated threads!
The veil of memories unfolds and flows like the northern lights during this season when nights freeze and the count up to Christmas begins. There were always many and long preparations in my family. It was never quiet!! There were arrivals from out of town, including all of us siblings, even after we had flown the nest and now had chicks of our own. There were social activities, skiing, skating, shopping, gargantuan turkeys and trees, mom at the window waving, and dad shouting greetings to all, – and giving instructions on finding the shortest route to the church- as well as where to find parking! Whenever I smell frosted pine trees, baileys Irish coffee, and homemade shortbread, I’m back again in those joyful days!!
and here are a few more, including the coloured version of this submission.
the runes of the gatekeeper's daughter- dedicated to Nick 
Cybele, happy birthdays to all your loved ones. Be well, my friend.
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All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France: Absolutely remarkable quote ⭐
I truly enjoyed reading your musings dear Cybele… Beautiful gallery, too.
Best wishes. Aquileana 😀
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So very true, thanks so much for understanding it all!!
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Wow. Love your photos Cybele. (Sorry, I am close to a week behind in my reading and commenting). I’m with Leanne about the changing of the seasons. I was talking with my family about Christmas Day and we were wondering where to put everyone this year. If it is hot (over 35) we will probably shut up the house and put on the air con otherwise we will stay undercover out near the pool.
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thanks Suz, no worries!!
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Lovely words that brought tears to my eyes.
“They are still imprinted on the the tapestry of time and space. I’m woven in there too. The fabric, though worn, is splendid with festive gold and silver, scarlet and green illuminated threads!”
This part paints a perfect picture. I think about my loved ones in a same way. Although they are no longer here, they are inseparable part of me.
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I shed tears writing it! I’m glad you can relate. Thank you Lore!
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Lovely, just lovely. Your words just sing in my ears. What a beautiful way to describe your family birthdays and leading up to Christmas. I love your black and white MMC image. It is stunning. Just the way I love to see a trail lit 🙂
Since I am new to your blog, where are you located, if you don’t mind me asking? I am on the west coast too.
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Thanks so much Carrie, I’m very pleased you liked the post in entirety!! I am on Vancouver Island! you are in California?
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Oh it’s beautiful there! I grew up in Seattle, we went to Vancouver for softball tournaments and girl scouting events often. And, yes, we lived in Southern CA for 9 years (Alaska before that) and just moved to Northern CA this summer. We are about 80 miles south of the OR/CA border. I LOVE it, I have trees, ocean and easy access to so much nature. I have missed the weather, rain, clouds and clean air so much.
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So beautifully done! I like the first one especially 🙂
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thanks so much Amy!!
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The monochrome works well in transforming the woodland walk into something wintry. I’m a Sagittarian and was born during a very snowy December a long time ago, when mothers believed in putting their babies out of doors in their prams for a decent bit of fresh air. At two weeks’ old, I was firmly parked out in the snow for two hours a day, which meant I had a perpetually rosy face. Such weather still fills me with extreme energy and enthusiasm, unlike all the draining muggy, misty, damp weather we seem to be subjected to in the UK in December these days.
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I know that tradition! My mom too!! Thanks Sarah!
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Wow, I love the monochrome ones, you capture them beautifully!
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So glad you like them Indah!!
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Gorgeous, gorgeous, photos. made me want to go there.
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thank you Damyanti!
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Fine series!
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thanks Harrie!!
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thanks Harrie!
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Beautiful shots and I loved reading about Christmas
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thank you for your lovely comment Wendy!
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Well done…
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thanks Sally!!
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Very nice light effects!
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thank you Maria!!
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I love the way you have converted these photos in B & W. You have stimulated my imagination – I will have to try and process images in a similar way. May I ask – have you added a Blur to the forest photos? The way you have processed them really fits with the nostalgic tone of your writing.
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a soft focus Suzanne! And of course the light in the photo emphasizes it. Soft focus is a filter in the nik software that you can use with photoshop! Thank you for your lovely comment.
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Ah – thanks for that. It certainly looks great. I’ll have to try it. 🙂
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yw!!!
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A lovely submission, and I really do like the B/W better than the color. Of course, all your shots are great, so it’s hard to pick favorites. Me, I’m another West Coaster, and after seeing some of the shots from New York this morning, I’m exceptionally happy about that. 4 ft. of snow overnight is enough to put off even someone like myself who was originally (many years ago) from Winnipeg. Thanks for the great post and pics. We’ll see you soon.
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thanks hugely db- the west coast is the best!!! 🙂
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Beautiful, moody and telling a story in each photo Cybele.
I love how you describe your dearly departed family. Your words are so poetic and really captivated me and I am going to write them down to remember.
Your Christmas is straight out of the movies we see about Christmas overseas. Here its sweaty and hot and nothing like the movies unless your seeing Lawrence of Arabia or The Day the Earth Caught Fire, hoping it might rain to cool us down and fingers crossed for a cold lunch.
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Thank you so much Kaz! I’m flattered if you want to copy. If you like I can send you the draft typing. I can’t imagine having christmas turkey on the beach but then there is that song about Santa and the boomers. Poor Santa must have a sore arse having to bounce around like that!! 😀
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Haha I had a chuckle at your last comment 🙂
Thanks for offer re your description – I just loved your words and wanted to keep them to remember them so Ive written it down, I don’t feel I can copy as they are your personal words but really thought they were perfect. You have a wonderful way of writing Cybele!
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thank you so much Kaz! Please feel free to quote me lol!!! ( almost famous!) 😀
I am so inspired by your photos too- esp. the slow shutter ones!!!
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Thanks back at you Cybele 🙂
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Interesting to see how you prepare for winter, and what happens in the last month and a bit for the year. Christmas will be here soon, and again here, it will feel false because we are in t-shirts and shorts and have to stay up so late to see the lights. As you get your shortest day, we will be getting our longest. We are sitting around hoping for a mild summer, and that we don’t get too many days over 35 and even less over 40.
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Lol Leanne!! That’s hot!!!! Our summers don’t often go over 30 and that’s considered hot!!! Usually 25-28 for maybe one month. Winter is usually cold and wet. For snow one must go to the mountains though we will get frosty days and a little snow if lucky (not everyone thinks so!). When it happens it’s gorgeous because of the trees.- Snow falling gently on cedar and fir and all our wonderful vegetation sparkling like frosted sculptures. Did you see “Frozen?” like that -a fantasy land!!
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You mean the kids animated movie, no I haven’t seen that. It sounds like you are in a good place for winter, if it doesn’t snow, I love winter. I love the weather, it is the best time to take photos in Australia, the light is really nice. Summer is terrible for photos, too harsh, the light is just terrible. I keep saying I want to photograph the heat, but haven’t worked out how. YOu will be able to photograph frost really close up now with your macro lens.
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I love these
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thanks so much!!
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