What remained of autumn was swallowed up on October’s last day in a sudden burst of early winter. Dawn breaks in a temperature of twenty-six degrees, and if yesterday is any indication, we will be lucky to get out of the thirties. A small consolation this morning is the silence of the trees; yesterday, the air was riven by a fierce northeast wind, producing wind chills more properly belonging to full winter than the first day of November.
On this day, at least, there are fewer clouds, the sky a cool returning blue. A few silvery white bands stretch behind the eastern peaks. agatizing the heavens with the sun’s silver light. The earth shimmers with diamonds in the sun, just now cresting the mountain’s downward south slope. The house is warm, a fire in each woodstove, and it is again possible to believe that the forecast — predicting a high of fifty-one — might actually come true.
I love fall and winter, but a cold north wind is distinctly unwelcome. Now, it not only plays havoc with my joints, but my lungs don’t handle it well, either. I find myself now with a new appreciation of the warmer seasons, even if this time of year remains my favorite.
In honor of the blue skies’ return, and to help warm this space before the advent of true winter, I thought perhaps a scene from summer’s end might suit this first Friday in November, a traditional painting by one of Wings’s fellow artists. From its description in the Other Artists: Wall Art gallery here on the site:
Frank Rain Leaf (Taos Pueblo) evokes an entire culturescape in this painting of the the Pueblo’s people and lands. It’s a timeless image, one that summons spirits long past yet thoroughly alive today. Frank’s meticulousness shows in his attention to historical detail, as seen in the men’s old-style braids and their blankets in classic striped patterns. It’s also manifest in his portrayal of the land itself: the lifelike colors and shadows of the limestone rock outcroppings, the gradients of color in the stripped bark of the old pines. Close-up of partial canvas shown immediately above.
Acrylic on canvas; wood frame
$425 + shipping, handling, and insurance
Requires special handling; extra shipping charges apply
As a practical matter, this scene could be one from this very day. As warm as the year was overall, there is still lush bright grass to be found here and there. The evergreens are, of course, ever-green, and the mountains are layers of shadowed blue, a deeper reflection of the turquoise sky. Even the few faint clouds fit, with two small traces left to float along the eastern horizon, one serving as a blanket for the morning sun.
The earth here is pale and rimed with frost, the air honed to a sharp edge. But, as is always the case in this place, the sky always holds the promise of returning blue.
~ Aji
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