"Softly the evening came. The sun from the western horizon Like a magician extended his golden wand o'er the landscape; Trinkling vapors arose; and sky and water and forest Seemed all on fire at the touch, and melted and mingled together."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
As promised, here are a few more setting sun images from our icy, cold walk last weekend.
"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." ~ Rabindranath Tagore
I love how deep and rich the colours in this photo are but I have to admit that it's seen through a filter of sorts. It was shot through the smokey gray car window at the shores of Lake Ontario. 
“Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends” ~ Anonymous
This was more how my eye saw the setting sun as it swept across the benches along the walkway. The seats may appear inviting but I can assure you that the temperatures and wind were not conducive to a leisurely lounge.
“One may have a blazing hearth in one's soul and yet no one ever come to sit by it. Passersby see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way.” ~ Vincent van Gogh
Back near my friend's condo, the sun reflected off of the smoke emitted from the top of this monolith. The colours and motion demanded that I take a few shots.
"May I never miss a sunset or rainbow because I am looking down." ~ Sara June Parker
Inside the cozy warmth of the apartment, glasses of wine were poured and and a cribbage board set up for a few games before dinner. I kept a watchful eye on the slowly-fading pinks and blues of the northern sky. It was a truly lovely day and I thank you for joining me.
79 comments:
Peaceful and welcomed images in light of the tragic events and images coming from Japan.
Another series of winners, Hil. It was worth risking frostbite when you can come back with shots like these.
Of course, that's easy for me to say from the cozy confines of my den... ;)
A good selection of low light images the third steals the show for me.
What spectacular colours and shots!
As you know dear Hilary, dawn and dusk are my favorite parts of any day - and I can never get enough sunrises or sunsets.
Stunning and almost poetic images.
Judging from the last photo capture, your friend has a lovely view.
Wishing you a lovely laid-back Sunday,
xoxo
Even though the warm hues of the sky warm my heart, the images still say "brrrrrrrrr!!!" Nice to get out and about, but even better to get back indoors with a glass of wine and good company, I think. Coincidentally, I've posted a picture of benches today as well, but the setting is quite different.
I do love a game of cribbage.
Lovely shots! I hope it warms up there soon!
Such beautiful photography Hilary! All these images evoked awe and serenity! Thanks so much!
Hugs
SueAnn
Although dawn and dusk are always my favorite times, the winter sky makes them even more spectactular. Thanks for sharing. I also like Tagore's poetry and your selection here.
what a gorgeous purple sky...the second pic thoughthe desolate colelandscape with the bench and thebrilliant sky is my fav....
Your photos capture the mood of a sunset so well! The colorful banners of a sunset sky need some darkness to set them off, and you GOT IT.
I thought the pink/gold sky and tree was my favorite, and then scrolled down and saw the pink/blue sky. No favorites here, then. They're all breathtaking.
Beautiful hues...
Love the third and the fourth one
Have you ever tried HDR? Some HDRs are not at all to my liking but some are really nice. I am thinking that the shadows could stand to be lifted just a bit in the first and last shots. Of course, that's a matter of taste, and I assume that you like them just the way they are.
Such gorgeous colors! I'm always impressed with how cold ice can look even bathed in a golden glow (as in your bench shot). You're a master at connecting quotes and photos :)
How lovely these are Hilary. They really set a mood for your post. That first shot is just like, whoa! Awesome.
DI
Once again you have captured some great shots. My favorites are the sunset and smoke.
Thanks for inviting me to join you,it was a pleasure.These images are so beautiful.
Wow, you got some awesome shots, Proof that in times of tragedy, there is still beauty in the world.
The snow is gone right in front of the benches. Are the benches metal? If so, they must be really cold to sit on; I would have to take a pillow to sit there and read a bit.
Sounds like you had a really nice at your friend's condo. Hope you have lots more fun times like this.
As ever, a feast for the eyes.The seats with the icy rug before each were my favourites...
It's a great thing you capture the cold so beautifully! It's one way to enjoy it:)
I'm so glad someone else out there is seeing the winters colors as well. Around these blogs (for many) it seems spring has sprung!
We'll make it out of winter yet:)
those are gorgeous pictures
Brrr! It does look cold, but the images seen through your eye are always amazing to me. I love the two benches in the cold, and the gold in the smokestack.
Love that first one taken through the car windows. It's mysterious and dramatic.
Perfect quotes for gorgeous photos. Thanks, again, Hilary.
Very nice photos,the benches were a favorite.
amazing shots as usual.
Simply stunning, Hilary!
Beautiful coloured skies and I love those two chairs huddled together.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
Absolutely stunning Hilary. The setting sun reflecting off the park benches is beautiful.
I love the first one and its colors too. Either of those would be wonderful enlarged for hanging on your wall.
Oh, you should shoot through the "filter" of the car window more often--that is a glorious shot! I'm also particularly fond of the purpling sky, such rich colors...Thank you.
when it's snow covered i think the landscape looks like a watercolor where the paints have run a bit. you've captured the delicate tones so beautifully.
WOW. All I can say. You described them perfectly with your title. I think this post of yours is one of my favorites!
Wowza! You not only had golden moments, but also pink and lilac and blue! The bench shot is my favorite, though it does look chilly.
The shadows, light and colors set in my soul like the sun. Lovely! Brrrr, but still cold!
Fabulous, all, but I especially love the one of the benches. I imagine people sitting there despite the cold and melting the snow with their feet. I wonder if benches could tell stories what they would say.
Sunrise is my favorite time of day, but i find sunsets much prettier. Thanks for sharing this.
Sunsets and sunrises - I can never get enough of them and your shots are always gorgeous of them. These are all beautiful, but the 2nd one of the benches is my favorite. Thank you for taking us along with you!
I used to play cribbage with my dad. I love the calmness of "Softly the Evening Came."
Those are all just lovely Hilary.
The shot of the benches is gorgeous.
although all that ice around them would make it treacherous to sit in them.
These are all beautiful, Hilary, but that first one is wonderful. I don't think it's entirely because of the car's window. :)
• Thanks, Daniel. It's such a tragic series of events and my heart aches for everyone there. I'm glad you could find some peace among these images. :)
• Thank you, Frank. Your den? I don't believe I've ever heard you refer to it as such. You must have cleaned up or something. ;)
• Thanks kindly, Adrian. :)
• Lady Fi, thank you. :)
• Zuzana, you are the queen of sunrise and sunset photos so I thank you so much for the kind words. She does indeed have a nice view. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Louchiao, it was indeed "brrrr" but I was happy to see such a lovely sunset after a mostly-overcast day. And you're right, it was nice to get back indoors. Next time, we'll pour an extra glass of wine for you. I'll be by to see your benches soonish. :)
• Robin, it's a great game, isn't it? :)
• Thank you, Sarah. It has warmed a bit.. with still warmer days ahead. :)
• Thank you kindly, SueAnn. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Sage, thank you. You're right about winter sunrises and sunsets - they sure do add beauty to the winter landscape. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thanks, Brian. I'm glad you like them. :)
• June, thank you so much. Your kind words mean a lot to me. Thanks always for your visits. :)
• Thrviewfinder, thanks. I'm glad you stopped by. :)
• AC, not only have I never tried HDR, I'm not really all that sure I comprehend how it works. I know you can get a lot more depth, colour and richness from the images but really, I don't quite understand what's involved. Maybe I should look into it, eh? Occasionally, I'll use a "dodge" tool to lighten an area if I think it needs it. I suppose these could have been touched up that way, but ultimately, I just posted what you see. Thanks always for the visit. :)
• Thanks very much, Pauline. So true about icy sunlit shots. I'm glad you enjoyed my posts. That means a lot to me. :)
• Di, thank you so kindly. Much appreciated. :)
• DFP, thanks very much. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Ruth, I'm always happy to have you along. Thank you kindly. :)
• Hilary, thank you so much. The tragedy in Japan is overwhelming. I'm glad you could find some beauty here. :)
• Technobabe, yes. The benches are metal and I imagine that the icy spots in front of them were previously melted snow from folks resting their feet there earlier in the day. Trust me, you wouldn't want to be sitting there on that day - pillow or not. It was just too darned cold. Thanks always for your kind thoughts. They're very much appreciated. :)
• Jinksy, only you would see that as an icy rug. Thanks for the smiles, my friend. :)
• Dawn, thank you kindly. I think we're still a fair way off from spring blooms but I'm sure it will be greening up here in about a month. I'm so looking forward to that. Thanks so much for stopping by. :)
• Thank you, Becca. :)
• DJan, it was indeed cold but I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I sure enjoyed snapping them (and the glass of wine afterward). ;)
• Steviewren, thank you. I quite like its darkness, too. Mystery and drama is even better. ;)
• Thanks kindly, Pat. :)
• Steve, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Thank you, Ellen. :)
• Thanks very much, Kristina. :)
• Maggie May, thank you. I'm pleased that you enjoyed them. :)
• Sue, thank you so much. Those benches really caught my eye too. I knew I had to snap and share them. You make me feel very glad that I did. Thank you for such kind words. :)
• DS, thank you very kindly. The car window shot was unintended but it grew on me. Thanks always for your very kind words. They're so appreciated. :)
• Lime, that's such a lovely way to describe how the sunset reflects off of the snow. You ought to be writing the descriptions for my photos. ;) Thank you so much for such kind words. :)
• Elizabeth, thank you so kindly. That means a lot to me. :)
• Barb, it's difficult to keep moments down to just a few colours. ;) Thanks so much for your visit. :)
• Karen, thanks kindly. I'm glad you like them. Luckily, you can see them from the warmth of your home. :)
• Thanks, MPM. :)
• Sandy, I often wonder about just that sort of thing. I try to imagine the "ghosts" of a given place, setting or tree. I'm glad you shared that perspective. Thank you. :)
• MessyMimi, thank you. Each of them can be spectacular depending on the vantage point, I suppose. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Barbara, thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad I could oblige your interest in sunsets. :)
• MJ, thank you. I used to play a lot of cribbage too.. every weekend and then some. Now, I just play occasionally. It's probably my favourite game. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thank you kindly, Reb. :)
• Welcome, Deidre and thank you for the kind words. You're right - it was very slippery to walk over the ice-encrusted snow and even the mostly-clear paths had some black ice on them. It was partly the reason for keeping the walk short. Thanks so much for the visit. I hope you'll return again soon. :)
• Thank you kindly for that, Linda. Your lovely comments are always so appreciated. :)
"Admit" is for things you shouldn't have done. It's not a cheat to use something unconventional to create a beautiful photo, it's innovation. Love that first shot so much.
I love the snow and park benches! LOVE it!
Lovely sunset photos ~ the chimney smoke really caught my attention, such an apt quote as well.
Absolutely breathtaking. I just want to keep them on my screen all day and enjoy.
Those are wonderful.
I absolutely LOVE that first photograph (and wine, and cribbage). Thank you for the moments of tranquility before I drive into the Big City this morning.
The colors are magnificent. I especially like the shot of the benches. So lonely looking...
You got that one through the whole cycle. Very nice.
LOVE the deep purple sky
i love the benches and i bet you know that :)
Evening at all its peaceful glory, beautifully captured!
Lovely winter sunset shots... I especially like the first one, the bokeh is so smooth! Just love it!
Crepuscular.... it's a great word isn't it?
Nice easy-on-the-eye images of a winter evening. I'm glad the clocks have "sprung" forward, making the evenings lighter.... and I believe Spring is just around the corner.
So glad to join you in this beautiful rendition of your evening. Lovely.
Wow. Gorgeous sunsets. I'm sure they will be even more enjoyable whent the temps are a little higher. ;)
Beautiful, just beautiful again.
Your photos are absolutely breathtaking! Love those captions, especially the one by Van Gogh - so appropriate!
Great photos Hilary :-)
I especially like the park benches. They look like they're setting in the middle of nowhere.
~Ron
Whoa! The light in these shots... mesmerizing.
You have such wonderful captures always. I often forget to read.
• TattyTiara, thank you so much for that. I appreciate your kind comment. :)
• Amy, thank you. I'm glad you do . :)
• Glo, thank so much. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the pics. :)
• BlueViolet, thank you kindly. You're more than welcome to grab a shot or two for a screensaver if you like. :)
• Thank you, Leah. :)
• KC, I hope you had a safe drive. Wine and cribbage, eh? I suspect we could get along great. ;) Thanks for the kind words. :)
• Suldog, thank you. They're only lonely looking when it's this cold. Not even the best-intended bottom could warm those benches when it's that cold out. :)
• Scott, thanks very much. :)
• Thanks, Daryl. :)
• Dianne, I kinda did. ;)
• Thank you kindly, Merisi. :)
• Maggie Gem, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)
• Shammie it is. I wouldn't have used it in this instance but I do like the word and the rays. I'm glad for the time change too. Tomorrow should be much milder if the reports are correct. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Thank you, Kate. I'm glad you could join me too. :)
• Kat, I'm certain you are right about that. Thanks so much. :)
• Thank you kindly, Bob. Much appreciated. :)
• Wendy, it's good to see you. Thank you very much for the kind words. :)
• TRO, thank you. :)
• Welcome, Geezer and thanks so much for the kind words. They're very much appreciated. The benches were kind of between a parking lot and the lake - so you're quite right about that. ;) Thanks for the visit. I hope you'll return again soon. :)
• Indrani, thank you. kindly. Such a lovely thing to say. :)
Hilary, I enjoyed all of your photos here, but specially liked the one with the two park benches. Thanks again for sharing your walk - Dave
Hilary, you have a fabulous eye! Thanks for sharing the (chilly) beauty.
These photos are a beautiful representation of the beauty of winter! It's like a goodbye to winter.
First time here.
Those photos are exquisite!
It's really hard to pick a favorite.
I love your blog, your photography is drool worthy.
All the best,
Betty
Warm Aloha & Gratitude from Honolulu!
Comfort Spiral
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What beautiful colors and collections of words to match. These images are the tranquility and balance needed during these times.
Beautiful!
• Thanks for joining me, Dave. It's always a pleasure to have you along. :)
• Thank you, Baggie. I'm happy to share. :)
• Stephanie, thank you kindly. I sure hope you're right about saying goodbye to this season. I'm ready! :)
• Welcome, Betty and thank you so much for such kind words. They're very much appreciated. Thanks for the visit and please stop by again soon. :)
• Thanks for stopping by, Cloudia. I'm glad that you and yours are safe and sound. :)
• Thanks so much, Steve. That means a lot to me. :)
• Thank you, Sandra. :)
bellissima serie. ottima la luce che crea atmosfere davvero interessanti
what a great filter ~ a car window! i love the dark lines:)
My heart skips a beat ..... WOW!
Just lovely. Sometimes when I see a vividly colored sky I think to myself, "if someone painted this, people would think it's a fake...that it's just an artist's imagination."
I love photos that show the sky in all her glory whether it's morning or night or a storm or a clear blue sky.
Hi Hilary, I'm here from Linda's Blog (from Indiana). She spoke highly of you --so I decided to check out your blog. LOVE it... The pictures are fabulous....
Hugs,
Betsy
• Grazie molto, Saverio. Il tuo commento tipo è molto apprezzato. E grazie a te, Google Translate. ;)
• Thank you, Christine. I'm glad you do. :)
• Kerri, thank you kindly. Your photos have made my heart skip many a beat too. :)
• Cheryl, I know what you mean about that. My mother loved to paint and she kept worrying that her sky would appear fake. There's nothing as varied as the sky, is there? Thanks so much for stopping by. :)
• Welcome, Betsy. I'm so glad you stopped by. Any friend of Linda's is warmly received here. Thank you so much for your kind words. I sure hope you'll be back again soon. :)
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