It Was A Silent Night

Christmas Eve at Nativity Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Alameda, New Mexico

Christmas Eve here in New Mexico certainly was a silent night and a Holy night. It was the first calm Christmas Eve we've had in years where the cold wind wasn't blowing! An extra bonus with the full moon (or almost full moon). For myself, it made for a very magical evening. My family and I went to the Vigil Mass and then found a few neighborhoods in our area that decked their homes with a Christmas light show.

I hope your day was everything you hoped it could be and more!

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It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

The cutest little tree ornament my son made when he was 5 years old!

Shadows peeking through the leaves of a money tree

Soft, subdued shadows on the undulating curves of an ornament

I'm sure we are all wondering how it is that the year has flown by so quickly and now we have less than a week before it is Christmas. I wonder what Einstein would've said about the phenomenon of time going by faster as we age. I thought time went by quickly a few years ago, but it sure seems like it is going by at an even faster pace. How can that be? There must be some sort of explanation for this. If you know, please share it with us!

Am I ready for the year to end and a new one to begin? Heck no! But, ready or not, here it comes!

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Holidays, my friends!

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The Shadow Of Your Smile

The soft glow of the late afternoon sun

I think the soft, warm days of fall are officially gone now-after all, winter is just a week away. It now remains but a memory preserved in images to live vicariously for those who chose to do so. And long for, as the cold winds bite through to the core. The memory will keep me warm, as does the shadow of your smile.

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Last Remnants of Fall

I can't help but wish that fall would be the season that lingers in its glory the longest. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of the year-except that it precedes winter. That is the part that I wish could be avoided. But, I suppose it is the coming of winter that gives us the beauty of fall, isn't it? 

The light that comes with fall is what makes it so enchanting-it's as though you were given a pair of spectacles that made everything look golden and glimmery. It is this kind of light that the shadows are at their best.

And I can't believe that this is my 1002nd post for this particular blog. Wow.

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A Crooked Way To Go Up

I liked how the angle of the late afternoon sun really distorted the shadow of these stair railings! What's at the top? Why a breath-taking vista 360 and a place to sit while soaking it all in-which is the first image (although you can't see the benches as I was trying to get the snow capped mountains of Santa Fe off in the distance in the shot).

I hope all of you who observe Thanksgiving Day had a great time spent with family and friends. It's a lot of work to prepare for the event (unless you go out to eat), but it makes the gathering all the more special with memories to last. There is so much to be grateful for-such as, not having to wash all the dishes down at the stream instead of in the comfort of a cozy kitchen. Counting what you have far out-measures what you don't-always keep that in your crosshairs!

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Portraits of Light and Shadow

This sweetness lives in one of those yards that has lots of corners here and there with nice surprises like this. Subtle, but can't be missed. There for you to discover on your own. This yard and garden gave me serious garden envy! Or, inspiration is more like it. I always dream about having the kind of yard that has nooks and crannys with benches and little scenes that invite you to sit down and enjoy that moment in time. At different times of the day as the light changes constantly. Statues here and there-all for you to discover and delight in. That would be the yard of my dreams.

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Shadows Below Us-Really Below Us!

Last weekend we were in San Diego for my husband's niece's wedding. Which gave us the chance to be tourists on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Balboa Park. I had read in a magazine that the tower in the Museum of Man was now open to the public after not being accessible for 89 years. You have to buy a museum ticket specifically for the tower and you have to be able to climb 8 flights of stairs. Thank goodness that wasn't a problem for us.

The view from the tower-which I believe they call it the California Tower but I don't think anyone in San Diego would know it by that name-is fantastic. You can see all of the park and the city and the on that day, even the Coronado island way off in the distance. It was so clear. The last image is the Museum of Man from a distance so that you can see where I took the images from-the very top part of the building. If you go to Balboa Park, do go on the Tower Tour if you can. I don't think it's something that will always be offered to the public (I'm sure the city's legal department is not too thrilled with this tour). It is a chance of a lifetime. You can see more of the panoramic vistas posted on my Facebook Timeline.

Join us as a group of us (yes-there are many of us!) from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

Shadow and Art

At our monthly art critique group this past Thursday, the sun peeked out long enough (I drove up to Santa Fe in what ended up as a blizzard) to let light through the skylight to throw this odd combination of hand gestures and the bull dog clip shadow. Along with the slice of colors from the artwork being discussed. Serendipity for me!



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All Hallow's Eve

Halloween: a contraction of sorts of All Hallow's Evening-the eve of All Saints Day which is a time marked in the liturgical calendar as a three day observance to remember the dead, the saints (hence the word, hallow), and all the faithful departed believers. 

Although I don't think I'll ever get a chance, I dream of someday going to Oaxaca to witness the manner in which they celebrate the Day of the Dead where all the gravesites are lit up with candles. I'm not sure I could handle the crowds very well, but it would be an amazing thing to see-I know some of you have. But, I can't cry or spend too much time feeling sorry for myself as I am going to a local parade in Albuquerque on Sunday called the Marigold Parade. You can check out the images I've taken in that past years at this event. It is peaceful, somber, yet festive event.

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A Day In The Life of....

The remains of this old adobe church is just south of Abiquiu-the Inn at Abiquiu is less than 1/4 mile away. As you can see, it's been there for a while. Usually you can't get near the church because you'd have to scale a fence to do so, but the powers that be must've decided to let visitors come in and take photos (perhaps the fence suffered from those desperate to get closer?). It was nice to be able to walk around and take photos to your hearts content as the last time I was here, I had to shoot through the holes in the fence wire.

It was a beautiful day to be out-a perfect fall day. My son and I were glad we could get up close and see the church of Santa Rosa de Lima. It made it easy to be a shadow sleuth today!

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Saintly and Colorful

Shadows, that is.

El Bruno's in Cuba, NM (not the country Cuba, but the town in NM). A 'must' stop along Hwy. 550 that connects the Four Corners area to the rest of the state. Cuba is a town that most just drive through unless they know about Bruno's. Then it becomes a part of the travel routine-you intentionally schedule it in if you know you'll be on the 550. It is full of charm and the menu is typical of New Mexican cuisine. Hot and spicy! The original site for this restaurant was across the street, but a few years ago, it suffered a devastating fire that took it down to the ground. Like the Phoenix rising, they made a comeback by taking over a small building across the street and over the years, it has grown into what it is today. Full of charm and funk and good food.

If you're there during the warmer months of the year, you can dine al fresco out in the patio surrounded by hand carved Santeros (Saints) and shadows.

What's there not to like?

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Celebrating the Mundane

Perhaps I'm easily entertained and it doesn't take much to excite me. After all, it's just a shell that sits on my coffee table 24/7, right? I see it all the time. But, one afternoon, I noticed the shadow it cast (what took me so long?). Sweet, undulating curves. If that is all you saw and not the source, it would be hard to guess what cast it. In that moment that I finally noticed it, I celebrated the mundane.

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It's Just A Big Slab Of Milk Chocolate!

© Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

Well, that's what this massive chunk of geology looked like to me! A humongous piece of chocolate. It has such interesting folds and crinkles. I wish I knew my geology better or had an expert with me to answer all the questions I have when I'm out hiking.

© Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

I just found it to be breathtaking. You can see by the trees how big this cliff (what would you call it?) is. I am looking straight up.

© Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

And, as always, don't forget to look down too, as you might miss delicate things like this. Wispy lacey shadows from the native grasses. Yes, please!

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Bigger Than Life

                         © Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

Both of these trees may seem to be bigger than life in these images. But, they're not!

© Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

In fact, quite the opposite is true. They are about the size of one's hands! Very easy to pass by when out and about hiking in the badlands of Cuba, NM. It takes a very resilient plant to survive out here and these had done a good job before their 'expiration date' came about. In fact, their growth is so stunted that they must've seemed to be Bonsai plants.

The area out here is spectacular-you can see more images of it on my Facebook timeline. The images were posted on Sept. 24th.

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A Cross To Bear

Stations of the Cross Meditation Garden at Christ In the Desert Monastery
Image copyright of Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

The Christ In the Desert Monastery is located in one of the most beautiful spots in New Mexico-next to the Chama river and surrounded by the most spectacular southwest geology you'll ever see in one place. Georgia O'Keefe settled down near this area. How she found it back then, is beyond me as it is truly far from the maddening crowd. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of a journey that must've been. It is easy to see why she loved it there, for the scenery and geology is spectacular.

This image is from the garden area that leads up to the monastery and church. It is designed for contemplation and meditation and is centered on the stations of the cross. In this garden there are 14 crosses representing the 14 stations which are 'scenes' of the Passion of Christ.

Here's an example of what I mean by spectacular geology:

Image copyright of Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

If you'd like to see more images from this trip (which I did yesterday) just go to my Facebook timeline and look for the postings for September 17th.

Join us as a group of us (yes-there are many of us!) from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

A Grounded Pegasus: The White Horse

"White Horse at St. Michael's, AZ"  copyright Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

He stared back at me as if to say, 'you're interrupting me". After all, he was content to be quietly grazing on a sunny Sunday morning in St. Michael's, AZ. It was also as if to say, 'if you come any closer, I will leave'. So, I snapped my images-after all, that is what I came for. Silently, I thanked him in my heart for these few moments of pleasure to have seen him in the dappled sunlight like this. A free spirit, not to be tamed by man.

Yes, white horses are special. Mostly because they are uncommon and this sense of rarity has given it a mythical status:

"As a rare or distinguished symbol, a white horse typically bears the hero- or god-figure in ceremonial roles or in triumph over negative forces. Herodotus reported that white horses were held as sacred animals in the Achaemenid court of Xerxes the Great (ruled 486-465 BC),[2] while in other traditions the reverse happens when it was sacrificed to the gods.

In more than one tradition, the white horse carries patron saints or the world saviour in the end times (as in Hinduism, Christianity, andIslam), is associated with the sun or sun chariot (Ossetia) or bursts into existence in a fantastic way, emerging from the sea or a lightning bolt.

Though some mythologies are stories from earliest beliefs, other tales, though visionary or metaphorical, are found in liturgical sources as part of preserved, on-going traditions."

~from Wikipedia

A few years back, I also had the pleasure of seeing two white horses running, racing, chasing each other. They were young-around 2 years old and seemed to be siblings-a brother and sister. Brother kept pouncing on sister as they galloped everywhere in and out of the arroyo playing a game of 'tag, you're it'. Sister seemed to be 'it' more than brother though. When I got home and pulled the images up on my monitor, I gasped as I realized that sister was not only a white horse, but an albino! To this day, I am still amazed that I was fortunate enough to see one and photograph it.

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Hook, Line and Sinker

There's something about a warm summer afternoon at a quaint mall that is full of nooks, crannies and character- allowing for sweet vignettes like this to appear before your very eyes. It's like having dessert without having to worry about the calories!


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Have a Heart!

A heart shaped shadow on the floor of the group exercise room I was in at the gym. How cool is that?!?

What I can see out the back door of the guest house I am staying in at Hubbell Trading Post is this patio 'light' of sorts made from a wagon wheel. The bells hanging from the hub of the wagon wheel represents each child that Hubbell and his wife had. Hence this lamp is referred to as the 'Hub Bell'!

Currently, I am in a remote locale finishing up week #2 of a 2 week artist-in-residence at the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, AZ. I always look forward to and appreciate your comments!!

Join us as a group of us (yes-there are many of us!) from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

Why Worry?

Duck Races copyright Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

I hope this poem inspires you let go of that worry and step out and sing!

I might not be able to get to visit everyone's site as I am in a remote locale doing a 2 week artist-in-residence at the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, AZ. However, I always look forward to and appreciate your comments!!

Join us as a group of us (yes-there are many of us!) from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

Madonna of the Shadows

"Madonna of the Shadows"  Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

In a quaint shopping center in Sedona is this sweet little grotto with a statue of a Madonna in it. Tucked away in a corner-people love to come by and photograph it (I'm no exception). They must have to clean up the coins that get tossed at the bottom of this grotto. Funny how people do this coin tossing thing at fountains and shrines. I don't get it, but that's OK. I don't feel like I have to!

Join us as a group of us (yes-there are many of us!) from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!