Light And Shadow

The mountain across the scenic byway is fourteen years taller. The sun is having a harder time rising over the tree tops. I think the quality of my winter sunbeams are shrinking. The solstice is near.

A swirl of Cephalotaxus. I think I need another swirl.

By 3 in the afternoon the shadow of the mountain has cast the Under Garden into a smoky blue shade. The smoke in the air this winter has been particularly bad. It feels like I am going blind in smoke and low light.

Joe Pye is gone. The Cotoneaster struggles with the competition. All the conifers and evergreens do. I have not provided them with optimum conditions. They suffer.

I took the first picture with the help of some umbrella shade. When the sun finally beams over the mountain top, looking up my driveway is staring directly into the sun. It's low. The solstice is near. There has been no snow.