It's hard to know why one person chooses red, while another opts for blue.

Red and Blue, Jan. 2, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

At this time of year, when light is limited, people flock to the Viewpoint during the few hours of sunshine.

Afternoon at the Viewpoint, Dec. 31, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

And then the rain was gone. Soon it will be full moon.

Skunk Cabbage, Sun Break, Mar. 21, 2010

Copyright © 2010 Paul D. Natkin, All Rights Reserved

Sun Breaks

Today the visibility from the Viewpoint was greater than yesterday. I'm not saying that's better or worse--just different. Yesterday I was there around dusk, and there was a lot of haze in the air, so today the colors were brighter and less blue. There was a woman in a white top sitting on the far bench under the laurel tree. Her longish hair was strawberry blond. At first she was the only other person at the Viewpoint, but then a group of three came walking in, entering at the south end of the park. They all had on black shirts. Two were women and one was a man. One woman had on a black top, as well. It was decorated with silver studs--like something you'd see at a rodeo. Another woman had on a light blue top--a jean jacket, I think. And the man had an olive green shirt, it seems to me, although here my memory is less clear. The woman under the laurel tree began eating a banana. A man came walking along the neighboring street, with a dog on a leash, and then entered the park from the north end. It seems to me he was dressed in brown, and that the dog was brown, too. And I think both man and dog were on the skinny side.

There wasn't much sun, but every now and then, in the distance, there would be a sun break, and that made for a very beautiful effect. The muted shades of green, blue, red, orange and yellow were suddenly made bright, contrasting with neighboring shades of the same hues retaining their muted quality. And then it would all flatten out again, as the sun break moved on and away--the result of a certain amount of breeze. It was a beautiful scene and would make for a beautiful painting.

Just the Opposite

While I was at the Viewpoint today, the sun was shining, but along the edge, everything was in shade. There were cast shadows on the tops of the trees, many yards into the space above the park below, but then everything beyond this was drenched in golden sunlight. It occurred to me that this is just the opposite of the situation after dark, when all things along the edge--including the Sentinel, the Lovers, the ferns and the blackberry bushes--is illuminated, while after a certain number of yards of cast light on the treetops, you see nothing but darkness, except where there are artificial lights--or moonlight.