For me, the week between Christmas and the New Year is always a bit melancholy and introspective. I can't resist a bit of John Keats for this post holiday nighttime stroll:
Tis the witching hour of night,
Orbed is the moon and bright,
And the stars they glisten, glisten,
Seeming with bright eyes to listen-
For what listen they?
13 comments:
Public Service Announcement:
If you live somewhere east of here, and were thinking of moving here because of the beauty you see in Laurie's photos, trust me, it's not like that. Laurie is a genius whose camera finds things that are not there and turns them into something warm and inviting. It's all an illusion. Besides, it's very cold here.
This is a very inviting street scene. It makes me want to walk down this street and soak up the atmosphere.
She dwells with Beauty - Beauty that must die;
And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,
Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:
Ay, in the very temple of Delight
Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine...
(Uhm, a little something I threw together this morning)
AH: Can I get a side of herring with that?
I love the lighted ginko trees on Mission. There was a little controvery when they were put in. This portion of Mission Street used to have crape myrtle trees. When the sidewalks were replaced so were the crape myrtles with ginkos. Some of the tree lovers complained, but the new trees look better year round. Crapes have a splash of color, but are ugly in the fall and winter. Gingkos have great fall color and look much better when dormant. And, the best part is the contractor installed power to each tree so the Chamber of Commmerce could install the small Christmas lights. Many of the merchants have decorated the bases with flowers. Mission Street is one of the most festive main streets around.
You've captured it well, Laurie.
This is the South Pas counterpoint to the well-known photo of James Dean in Times Square, walking with hands in his pocket and projecting the same melancholy vibe... but you have captured it so much better! There is almost always a magic star in your night shots... in this one it is blue, and seems to draw the solitary ghost from the 30s (his hat!) into it for a little holiday blues comfort.
All that holiday gold, the orange, the purple and the blue... gorgeous!
And on a much (*much*) less literary note:
All your dreams
and your lovers
won't protect you,
They're only passing
through you in the end.
They'll leave
you stripped of all
that they can get to,
And wait for you
to come back again.
You might wonder
who I can turn to
On this cold
and chilly night of gloom
The answer to that question
Is nowhere in this room.
Yet still a light is shining
From that lamp on down the hall.
Maybe the star of Bethlehem
Wasn't a star at all."
- Neil Young
"Star of Bethlehem"
Don't listen to Mr. Earl. Laurie may be a genius but South Pas really is pretty.
I'm tempted to make fun of Keats's poetically-licensed grammar.
Petrea:
Don't tell them! Don't tell them! Don't tell them!
Your picture alone tells us
thousands of words.
I see a great photo!
Nothing more to say!
True the interlude is a bit melancholy and invites introspection, but the picture belies that sentiment. And to what are the stars listening? Perhaps background radiation from the big bang. (How unsentimental!)
"Gonna take a sentimental journey, gonna put my heart at ease, gonna take a sentimental journey to renew ol' memories."
These lovely lingering Christmas lights and Laurie's everpresent star are such a treat as we stroll and remember the good things as we close-out this year and look forward to a Happy New Year. Blessings to you all.
Hi all,
Mister Earl -- you made me smile. (But you know how gorgeous this place really is!)(Oops, I shouldn't say that, right?)
Sharon, thanks!
Altadenahiker, nice work before lunch! :-)
Dbdubya, my hubby and I were wondering about the kind of trees on Mission. Thanks for clearing it up! I do love all the crepe myrtle around town, but it's nice to see the ginko as a change of pace, too.
Yak, I hadn't thought of that James Dean image but now I know what this reminded me of...
Kevin, Neil Young always welcome here!
Petrea, blasphemy! (Maybe you should similarly mock Altadenahiker?)
Double D, thank you.
DCS -- I think the big bang IS sentimental! Science is the flipside of art. Or vice versa.
Ah Dixie Mom, Glen Miller is always welcome here, too!
Thanks for being here everyone. I'm particularly fond of this photo, so I am very happy that you liked it. Until tomorrow...
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