Before I melt,
Come look at me!
This lovely icy filigree
Of a great forest
In one night
I make a wilderness
Of white:
Monday, March 2, 2009
Icing Sugar Snow Shadows
Yesterday Redbush ventured out to the lease on her skis because the weather was beautiful and has turned milder. The mounds of snow and shadows mesmerized her with the colors of blues, purples, oranges, and browns. Since she takes a lot of photographs for her artworks, she tries to capture the scenery, and take advantage of the sunlight on the warmer winter days. The trees, snow shadows, twigs and grasses are used a lot in Redbush's paintings whenever she does winter scenes. The one day, when she went out on her skis, she had a terrible time coming back as on her way back, it got warmer, to a temperature that made the snow stick heavily on the skis , making it impossible to slide, so she basically had to walk with her skis with heavy snow stuck to the bottom of them. She had a dilemma because if she took them off, she would have sunk deeply with each step, or if she kept them on, it still would be a heavy load with each ski step, sticking, and almost causing her to do a headstand. Hey, now that's exercise! Bonzi, as usual, would trot ahead without a care in the world. Redbush wishes she had his energy. The snow yesterday was just right, creating beautiful shadows that in some instances resembled icing mounds on a cake. She will share some pictures of the lease and her yard and hope you enjoy them. Do you recognize the classic poem following the pictures? She has written one stanza of it. What was the title? Who was the poet?
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12 comments:
Oh darn. We got a lot of snow, but not nearly as beautiful. And I don't recognize the poem at all. Is it Emily Dickinson? Somehow it doesn't seem edgy enough.
Bonzi's shadow reminded me of when I was eight and first noticed that shadows on snow were blue, instead of grey or black. I was so excited that I spent the next two days painting snow scenes in water color.
I am sure I have read the poem, but I'm equally sure (without looking) it's not in anything I own, and I can't even guess at an author.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Love the photos of the snow shadows! Sadly, I do not recognize the poem. You stumped me, Redbush!!
Hi Melissa! I love the snow in these instances, not when it's -40. The poem is an old classic by "Walter De La Mare called "The Snowflake". In those times, I don't think any of the poems were very edgy!
Good to hear from you, I taught art to my elementary students for years, and it was hard to convince them that shadows could be anything but grey, or brown. I didn't know that you painted. Somehow snow scenes are what I love painting the best, although, I love spring break-up with water running, and ice peaking out in spots where the snow is melting. The poem is and old "Walter De La Mare" called "The Snowflake". I can just hear you saying, "The Snowflake" makes sense.
Hey Bag Lady! Thanks! I love taking photos of the trees, snowdrifts and twigs when the sun is shining sharply. I bore my hubby, because I like to stop and take pictures when I can see a reference photo. The shadows really intrigue me. The poem is and old "Walter De La Mare" classic called "The Snowflake". Now, you probably could have guessed the title. Alright, You're smart! I'll bet you know the next verse.
Very pretty! Love the shadow picture...
Unfortunately my snow is almost gone - doesn't usually last here in this part of the U.S. :-(
Thanks, Missi! I love the snow, and take advantage of snow pictures whenever I can, that is, when it isn't -40 degrees like it gets to be at times. I'm really ready for spring and do get envious of some of you with the warmer temperatures, although it has gotten really nice here today.
I have read some de la Mare in the past but long ago, so that accounts for the vague familiarity.
No, I don't paint now. I quit when I was thirteen and got totally frustrated trying to get a simple three-stroke abstract figure to come out the way I wanted. About that time I started writing fiction--until I finished my English degree, at which point my muse went on strike and started sending me visual images again. Now I do fabric art. Or that's the theory. Mostly I think about doing fabric art.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Trees and snow. Thanks for the walk.
Solarity, I'm sure the paintings that I paint use much less effort than fabric art. Thanks for the info. I've always admired people that can do that kind of art. In my next blog, I'm posting part of a very small picture that I'm working on at present. De La Mare was one of the poets whose poems we were given to memorize when I was in grade school. They are still embedded in my memory!
Thanks, Leah! Every time that I go out I find something else to look at that fascinates me, like the little cones on some of the shrubs.
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