The Light of the Winter Solstice Sky

Friday, December 21, 2012

Salado Creek Greenway, Oakwell Trailhead downstream

Today's photos:

If sunflowers are an effective symbol of the summer solstice, then bare tree limbs are probably as effective a symbol for the winter solstice that one will encounter in South Texas. With that in mind, I drove to the Oakwell Trailhead on the Salado Creek Greenway knowing I would find an abundance of photogenic bare trees.

As I began to walk along the trail, the winter sky quickly attracted my attention. It drew me ever deeper into its embrace, guiding me along as I slowly began to realize where it was leading me.

A mourning dove, a red-shouldered hawk and a crested caracara (a.k.a. Mexican eagle) watched intently as the sky tightened its grip on my attention.

I was astonished to find, in the end, the sky had drawn me all the way to the moon…