Snow blind -

"Struggling to Recall Last Summer"
manipulated digital photograph by Mick Mather

"... the young have aspirations that will never come to pass,
the old have reminiscences of what never happened ..."
- H.H. Munro

Last solstice of 2010 -

"Summer Down Under"
digital collage by Mick Mather

"... In the depth of winter, I finally learned
that within me there lay an invincible summer ..."
- Albert Camus

Moving toward the summer equinox -

"End of Summer"
digital collage by Mick Mather

"... when summer gathers up her robes of glory,
and, like a dream, glides away ..."
- Sarah Helen Whitman

Thursday Challenge: Hot -

"Another Hot Summer Day"
photo montage by Mick Mather

"... love is the only fire that is hot enough to melt the iron obstinacy of a creatures' will ..."
- Alexander MacLaren

Thursday Challenge: Soft -

"Soft"
digital photograph by Mick Mather
- click image to view full size -

"... I learn more about God
from weeds than from roses;
resilience springing
through the smallest chink of hope,
in the absolute of concrete ..."
- Phillip Pulfrey

Sad Day -

"Summer Memory Invaded by Cold, Blue Winter"
- for SusuPetal -
digital collage by Mick Mather

"...laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face ..."
- Victor Hugo

Winter, south of the equator -

"Man With a Goatee"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I believe it was something that Lisa Sarsfield, my good friend in New Zealand, said a few days ago as regards winter is coming. Huh? It struck me that, sure, down under must have one during my summer but, just how winterly is it? Judging by this climate graph of the Tauranga area, situated on the North Island and the Bay of Plenty where Lisa hails from, well, that's just NOT winter the way I measure it. To lend today's post some sense of legitimacy, I may have to travel a long way south.

Aweigh the anchor -

"Ready for the Boating Season"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Only a few more weeks of school, the junior executives June vacations are nigh and the boats are in the water. Natty, nautical togs, a good pair of boat shoes and a windbreaker ought to complete this picture. Every day, summer draws nearer and nearer.

NEW from The Chairs Series -

"Classroom Chairs"
digital collage by Mick Mather

As this first, unofficial weekend of summer comes to a close, the anticipation of the actual arrival of that season and another few months of vacation begins for most kids. In spite of our current state of affairs I'm certain that I'll soon be hearing a familiar paean, "Life is good"!

Counting down -

"Summer, Slipping Away"

digital collage by Mick Mather

Elegia said something like this in a comment in yesterday's post and it struck me that, perhaps the nice weather has truly passed in Finland. I suppose the Finnish Sisters will all chime in, letting me know that, yes indeed, it's back to sweaters, jackets and not long for an even heavier coat. Tonight's image speaks to that issue.

The weather has been perfect -

"One Happy Summer Day"

digital collage by Mick Mather

As I mention in the introductory title of this post, the weather has been stunning! Perfect days, perfect green, perfect riot of color in all of the flowers, just the right amount of rain ... like I say, perfect. This image is somewhat idyllic in my mind and reminiscent of being at a lake, taking a small rowboat out on the water with someone you care for. This exchange of glances on a summer day is the icing on the cake (sigh)!

Thursday Challenge: Fun -

"Niece & Nephew, Autumn 1999"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

Fun is the theme at Thursday Challenge this week, with the usual sub-topics, one of which is family. A decade ago, when I lived further out and closer to real countryside living, one of our fun, family things was going for a walk. Rain or shine, winter or summer. On this particular day we enjoyed a brilliant autumn day that seemed, then as now, perfect for the activity.

A new favorite -

"The Bathing Cap"
digital collage by Mick Mather

As we toil away in our studios, turning out work after work, we're often confronted with a piece that stands so far above the rest that it makes every failure worthwhile. It's a choice we make, be it objective or subjective, answerable to personal aesthetic alone. This is one of those pieces for me, created towards the end of March 2008, just as Spring Fever was beginning to overtake me. At the time, the weather was still cold, too cold to post a swimsuit image, so I tucked it away for just the right time. Today seems to be it as we move well into the temperatures of our imminent summer, plans for beach vacations or a backyard bar-b-que next to the swimming pool. It hasn't escaped me that the colors here are very cool and I'm not yet convinced that this was due, as just mentioned, to the time of year that it was created. It could be the odd coincidence of getting 80-degree weather concurrent with gray and cloudy skies.

Another nod to Bill Ives -

"After the Rain"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- original photograph by Bill Ives -

Here's another image that began with one of the beautiful photographs taken by my beantown buddy, Bill Ives. The original is a great study of a row of plastic chairs down on the beach at Point Independence Inn, Onset, Massachusetts. After asking him for permission to do one of my manipulations, soon began the processes of cropping, filtering and layering. In short order I was just plain stuck, I wasn't getting what I wanted and I walked away from it for a few weeks. With fresh eyes I began the process again, using filters that I wouldn't ordinarily employ, only to be foiled a second time. Before putting it away, though, I ran a few experiments, had some fun and chalked it up to experience. That was back in August and tonight, while surfing the summer files again, it jumped right back out at me! This is rather blocky and jumbled up but I like the way the cubist forms repeat, relate and resolve themselves within the whole piece. Thanks again, Bill. :)