The Real Magic

The Real Magic - c Lynda Lehmann 2009

Autumn is a magical time of year. In the state of Maine as in many other places, nature is going through its Rites of Passage by changing its behaviors, forms and patterns in advance of the coming winter. The paradox is that as it passes into dormancy, rest, or even hibernation, concentrating its resources in order to burst with new life in the spring, it seems to be at its most beautiful. In the time of transition the phenomenal sights are fleeting, but linger long enough to inspire us with anticipation of more life experience and joy, in the future.

Please click on the image to see a larger version. All text and image c Lynda Lehmann 2009. All rights reserved.

If you would like to view my art or make a purchase, please visit Lynda Lehmann Painting and Photography or my gallery at Imagekind, where you can choose from several sizes and paper types or buy my prints plain or matted and framed.

Scrub, Brush, and Boulders

No, I'm not referring to a scrub-brush. I took this shot of the scrub, brush and boulders at Pinnacle Peak in sunny Arizona, where we spent last week with my family, for the holidays. Strangely, it was unseasonably cold. One year we seemed to have brought a monsoon with us, and this year, it seems we brought a cold snap. It was only about 30 degrees each morning, and the super dry Arizona air made it feel colder, I thought.

It always amazes me how our Earth pours forth all its bounty and diversity, in so many ways. So many climates and terrains, each with its own unique set of flora and fauna. Before my first trip to Arizona about ten years ago, I anticipated only a desolation of sand and gravel in the desert, punctuated by the occasional Saguaro cactus, seen early in my life in the same cowboy movies that you might have enjoyed when you were a child.

Nothing could be further from the truth. From the winding, groping Palo Verde tree to the pungent Mesquite, to all sorts of scrub grasses and sizes and shapes of cacti, to the havalena (wild pig) munching quietly in the wash and hungry wild ponies stomping the grass inside the wire fence of the Salt River Reservation, there is much to see. Gigantic and imposing rock monuments seem to call forth a spiritual energy and connection to the Earth that Native Americans feel so deeply. Snow covered mountain peaks gleam in the distance, at the same time that delicate flowering bushes release their pollen and fragrance everywhere. Glossy-crowned palms imported from California and Florida, and fruit-laden lemon, orange, and grapefruit trees, shimmer in the golden sunlight.


Check out the colors in this Prickly Pear cactus. I have only adjsted the contrast and exposure in this shot, but I haven't added or saturated the color. All these hues were there, glistening like a rainbow in the afternoon light.




Here are some guys who are taking turns scaling a huge rock. Glad it wasn't me up there--all the guide lines and gear in the world couldn't get me to scale that boulder! I love to explore nature and all kinds of landscapes, but heights send me over the edge (the pun is accidental).




And this is The King of the Hill. Presumably...



And here's The Lone Stranger walking in Tonto National Forest. Actually, it's our daughter, but I kind of liked this for a title, LOL...





And here are the Four Peaks again, seen from the desert and covered in snow. I have to admit I like seeing snow from a distance whenever possible. Especially as it's now bitter cold in the northeast USA.

And finally, a scene right out of "Bonanza," which was one of my favorite shows when I was in the fourth grade....




Thanks for sharing my little photo tour of some of my favorite places in the scenic state of Arizona. Being out there with family, I had no opportunity to post and comment last week. But I want to thank all my fellow bloggers for sharing their interests, knowledge, and passions with me over the past few months, and for visiting this blog.


I have a solo show of paintings coming up in a month, and I still have a lot to do to get ready for it. So if you don't see me posting or making the rounds as much, don't think I've disappeared or forgotten you. I'll be here as time permits, and I'll be back full-throttle in a few weeks. Happy New Year to all of you, and thanks for making my world a warmer and more interesting place!


All photos and text c Lynda Lehmann. All rights reserved. Please visit me at www.lyndalehmann.com if you want to see more of my work!

A Time of Peace

Peace settles over the lake at dusk, like a balm to the soul. Except for the occasional plaintive call of a loon from far away, there is only a deep and penetrating silence. The forest settles into shadow while rich swaths of color still play in the western sky. Image and text c Lynda Lehmann.

I've been posting a lot this week. I love to share the beauty of nature and I blog whenever I have the time. I certainly don't want anyone to feel pressured to comment when I'm putting up so many posts. But I do hope you enjoy my photos!

This image is available at my primary site at www.lyndalehmann.com, as an 8 x 10 inch print in archival inks, matted (acid-free) to 11 x 14 inches and ready for framing. You can also purchase it at Imagekind un-matted, matted, or framed.

A Still and Solitary Time

Autumn often brings stiff winds that churn the leaves and break their hold on lofty boughs, and foretell the coming of winter. But sometimes autumn brings a hush that settles over the land like a balm, defying the wind to ruffle the brilliant golden light. Sunshine penetrates lake and forest. The water lies smooth and flat, mists hover, the woods fall to silence as if the squirrels, birds, and deer stand in awe of the day's tranquility. All is serene. All is quiet on water, land and sky. Except for the Hum of Life, barely audible, yet powerfully present in the living domain.

Image and text c Lynda Lehmann. All rights reserved. "A Still and Solitary Time" is available for purchase at www.lyndalehmann.com.

Dawn Over the Rockies

To me, there is nothing more awesome and inspiring than watching the light of day break over the horizon and cast its glow onto the face of majectic mountains, while the back sides of the peaks still hold the shadows of night. Our planet offers wondrous beauty at every level of our ability to perceive it.

This shot was taken with my SONY point-and-shoot digicam, through the smudged glass of an airplane window. For what it may lack in image quality, I think it stilll imparts that feeling of wonder that makes us say, "Wow!" Image c Lynda Lehmann.

This image is available for purchase at www.lyndalehmann.com. I willl be posting more aerial shots of our beautiful planet, soon.

A Pristine Land

When I see such a clear and clean view, no litter or pollution apparent to the naked eye and the air sweet and pungent with the scent of pine, I wonder how the land looked 200 years ago, before the Industrial Revolution. I can not begin to imagine the sparkling natural beauty of the landscape. Imagine how much happier we would be if we were PART of this environment, cherishing, protecting, and enjoying it, instead of using it up for profit or simply moving THROUGH it at jet speed. Image c Lynda Lehmann. Lakes region of Maine.

Visit http://www.lyndalehmann.com/ if you would like to see more of my work, or purchase this print! You can buy it framed at http://lyndalehmann.imagekind.com/

Glory Sky

My husband and I are in Maine, where he is trying to transform a log cabin of sorts into a livable house with modern heating and plumbing systems, new rooms and exterior, etc. The whole nine yards. All with his own labor--a monumental task!

But it's not all work; we take every opportunity to smell the roses (well, okay, the musk of the forest). We love Maine because in this state, the land still stretches in all directions, fertile, lush, and unspoiled by the excesses of people and civilization. Right now it's cloudy and cool up here, but I'll gladly take it over the heat of most of the northeast. Of course the ugly effects of global warming often reach into this region, and will surely do so more often in the future. But that's another story.

When we live here among the pines, we often retire early. I like to watch (through the window) the light of day fade from the lake and far shore, as the silence of the Maine night sets in like a balm to my soul.... Never have I heard such a profound and deep silence. A total silence, smooth and deep and calming. It's a silence you can count on. I like to wake up, just to listen! Of course, sometimes the plaintive calling of loons on the lake is a special treat. Or the wind, wailing out of the hills of New Hampshire's White Mountains, to the west of us.

I think it was Nietzsche who said "The one and only voice of God is silence." I believe he had that right.


If you like my photo and would like to purchase it, please feel free to ask me to post it on my Imagekind site. Text and image c Lynda Lehmann. http://lyndalehmann.imagekind.com