Tuesday, Jan 11, 2016
As the day moved towards evening, more and more clouds were reporting for sunset duty. Previously, on a hike in Nags Head Woods, a little parcel of land owned by the Nature Conservancy, I had found a path that terminated in the bay and thought it might be a good place to observe sunset. So I took another little hike down to check it out.
Just before I arrived at the parking lot, I saw the sun go behind a huge cloud bank. I thought that sunset would be a bust, but, since I've experienced this before and had the day go cloudy, then come back to sunny, I went ahead and began my hike.
I enjoyed the peaceful solitude, unbroken by a even a bird call or the scold of a squirrel. I took pictures of glowing leaves, the last leaf on a young oak tree, and the view of the trail in front of me as it wound through mostly pine trees interspersed with a few oaks and sweetgums. When I got to the first open place, with a view of the sound, I got a few pre-sunset pictures and thought that was the best I would get. Just past that spot, I stopped to admire a huge tree that appears to be dead or mostly dead. Then I noticed that the light was getting brighter. When I reached the end of the trail, I found the solid cloud was breaking up into thousands of fluffy clouds, leaving spaces for the sun to play hide and seek.
I hiked quickly back to the road to beat full dark. But when I noticed the sky showing near where an accessible trail went, I decided to take a quick look. By this time, the sky was so dark, that I could only get the next images with my camera set to take hand held night scenes.
I started home, feeling happy that I had had an entire day filled with beauty. (I had explored Manteo that morning.) Then, just as I made the turn to the the road my house is on, I spotted the moon rising over the beach houses. So I grabbed my camera and got one last picture.
And my body felt invigorated by moving for nine miles, at least eight of which I was hiking, all the while collecting beautiful memories.
As the day moved towards evening, more and more clouds were reporting for sunset duty. Previously, on a hike in Nags Head Woods, a little parcel of land owned by the Nature Conservancy, I had found a path that terminated in the bay and thought it might be a good place to observe sunset. So I took another little hike down to check it out.
Just before I arrived at the parking lot, I saw the sun go behind a huge cloud bank. I thought that sunset would be a bust, but, since I've experienced this before and had the day go cloudy, then come back to sunny, I went ahead and began my hike.
I enjoyed the peaceful solitude, unbroken by a even a bird call or the scold of a squirrel. I took pictures of glowing leaves, the last leaf on a young oak tree, and the view of the trail in front of me as it wound through mostly pine trees interspersed with a few oaks and sweetgums. When I got to the first open place, with a view of the sound, I got a few pre-sunset pictures and thought that was the best I would get. Just past that spot, I stopped to admire a huge tree that appears to be dead or mostly dead. Then I noticed that the light was getting brighter. When I reached the end of the trail, I found the solid cloud was breaking up into thousands of fluffy clouds, leaving spaces for the sun to play hide and seek.
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| This now rare glow caught my eye |
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| The trail is made even quieter by the pine needles which muffled my footsteps |
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| I thought this pre sunset would be all there was to see |
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| And old tree cycling its nutrients for new growth |
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| Sun behind clouds but clouds are breaking up |
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| I watched earth, air and water produce beautiful bubble art along the shore |
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| The last bit of the sun disappearing behind the horizon |
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| Then lighting up the fluffy clouds that formed into a huge set of rays by themselves. |
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| Then being chased off by the darkness |
I hiked quickly back to the road to beat full dark. But when I noticed the sky showing near where an accessible trail went, I decided to take a quick look. By this time, the sky was so dark, that I could only get the next images with my camera set to take hand held night scenes.
 |
| Going...... |
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| Afterlight reflections in a pond |
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| Looking up from the parking lot |
I started home, feeling happy that I had had an entire day filled with beauty. (I had explored Manteo that morning.) Then, just as I made the turn to the the road my house is on, I spotted the moon rising over the beach houses. So I grabbed my camera and got one last picture.
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| Hello, New Moon |
And my body felt invigorated by moving for nine miles, at least eight of which I was hiking, all the while collecting beautiful memories.
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