The late afternoon always creates a lot of drama across the front of Grace Brethren Church on Fremont Avenue. The lower the sun sets ... the bigger the palm tree shadow grows until it dwarfs those beautiful stained glass windows. I wonder what the sanctuary looks like inside with that dark giant crossing the panes, and then passing. There's a metaphor in there somewhere about spirit, or maybe temptation, or it could just be a classic example of pagan/Christian rivalry. Then again, Thoreau is the one who said, "My profession is to always find God in nature."But, I digress.
I haven't truly captured the magic of this daily occurrence with my photo -- you can't see how lovely the windows look or how much they glow even during the day -- but you get the idea.
15 comments:
I guess this could be referred to as the "dark afternoon of the soul"...
Love the pic...nice shadows and contrast...
I thought of those spin art things that you get by dropping the paint down onto a spinning piece of paper and the way the shadow of the palm is spreading - looks like that to me. I really like the clean creamy white stucco - what a perfect backdrop.
Before I even read your post, I was touched by the spiritual quality of this photo... it's beautiful. Love the peacock blue-greens against the pristine white.
Some of you who know me will start looking for the pod when I tell you I can see Jesus in this shadow... with his arms outspread and a splendid, radiating halo. Or... wait... maybe it's one of the extras from Show Girls, wearing her headress.
I like the Norwegian form of Christianity -- they did have churches, yes, but the churches have old pagen sculptures to stand guard. Just in case.
Those are really beautiful windows. I'm curious what it looks like from inside. Religion-wise I'm beyond agnostic, but always liked walking into churches in the old country. The cold stone floors, hushed noises, and stain glass windows...
Hiker...I think that's pretty much the same throughout Europe's cathedrals and churches...I don't think there's much in the bible about gargoyles guarding the entries....the essence of pagan rituals show up regularly in Judeo-Christian rituals...I definitely think it gives us a cultural and historic continuity!!!
It looks like the hand of God providing a blessing on the church and its members.
C'mon... Church=box with colored filters so limiting that only the shadow of nature is able to have any participation. Note that the natural world is actually off camera, out of the reach of abstraction. The camera = church / church = camera discussion could be next, but I digress... Intentional or not, I've seen few photographs so perfectly stating this point.
Oh, my - I must drinketh a cup of coffee before I can dealeth with this one.
I'm going to have to look up dealeth Ms Shannon (after coffee)
oops (after coffee) Shanna
Anton, if I had any gold stars, you'd get one. You're definitely feeling what I feel when I see this daily shadow play.
But I love all of your interpretations. Keep 'em coming!
Like Vanda I'm moved by churches. The older the better. And sometimes nature is the church.
In the shadow I see faces, monkeys, gorillas, black cats. But that's just me and I haven't even been to the water tower. Great photo.
Just in case. I love it, AH. My dad used to say, "Of course I don't believe in hell, but why take chances?"
Thanks, everyone! Until tomorrow...
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