Today's Everglades painting is a make-over, or "new life" paining, done from one that's been around the studio for a while and never quite satisfied me. As I began to reassess the problems and work on it, the painting developed a life of it's own. Now it's cheery and inviting, with some great reflections. All this happening while my mind was elsewhere. Go figure!
This year late on December 21 the earth's axis will stop moving away from the sun and stop, and a second later will start back in the other direction towards the sun. This marks a change from growing long dark nights to shorter nights and longer days. The Winter Solstice is the time of year that marks the earth's farthest point from the sun.
Various cultures around the world celebrate this event. The Winter Solstice starts the Celtic calendar, and Bronze age sites such as Stonehenge and Newgrange are set up to mark sunset and sunrise (respectively) of the Winter Solstice at their sites.
Although there will still be much cold, January's growing light and warming earth will start a new cycle of growth in the Northern hemisphere. In the Everglades, it's the height of the dry season. Animals will concentrate where there's a little water, and the only plants to survive will be those adapted to dry conditions.
The Winter Solstice is close to the Christian Christmas, a time of joy and celebration of family and friends, and soon after the New Year will prompt us to look ahead, make positive changes, and to renew our commitments to ourselves and to others.
Between Christmas and New Years I usually take a little time off, and I'll be starting a little early this year. I wish you and your family a perfect mix of the sparkle of Christmas, the joy of giving and a big dose of unexpected love. Merry Christmas and if you celebrate another Holiday this time of year, Merry that, too.
In the New Year I'll share my intentions for 2010, tell you how I did, and set up some new intentions for 2011.
3 comments:
I see you must not have gotten that cold spell that is gripping parts of the east coast.
This is a lovely painting, and a wonderful and interesting post.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment about my "weight loss." Actually, I have lost weight over the last year, but without trying!
Hope you have a peaceful and joyous holiday.
Same to you, Judie. Your blog is one of my pleasures. I'm not very funny, but love good humor, and you write with such passion. Enjoy the holidays!
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