Happy New Year!

If you follow the path in Welcome to the Cwm down to the bonfire and look to the right, you might see the Northern Lights.

Christmas in the cottage in the cwm, featuring my mom's cat, Pearlie. This is my digital artwork, not a photograph except for the cat.

You are expected, just follow the lights.

Here's a winter/fantasy scene in the “cwm” in the mountains that I've used for several other pictures. This time it's winter, and the solitary cottage dweller is expecting company.

Cwm Solitude
Cwm Waterfall
Cwm Autumn Frost

I first had the idea for this on a family trip around Thanksgiving of 2016. I was watching the landscape go by and noticed how the smaller trees still had their leaves, and how the dead leaves were almost pink. It may not be as beautiful as spring flowers or autumn leaves or snow, but there are scenes worth looking at even in an apparently lifeless landscape. This hanging on of dead leaves through the winter is called “marcescence”, and it is especially common in young oak trees like these.

This is my digital artwork, not a photograph.

What could be more peaceful and refreshing than a quiet winter sunset?

This is my digital artwork, not a photograph.

This is the final and most “traditional” of my seasonal snow globe scenes. This is what the landscape around here looked like a week ago. Today was 75° F, so this helps me remember it is still winter out there!

This is the Christmas version of my seasonal “snow globe” idea.

“‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’
And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
December 13, 2016

Don't follow the lights!
This is another version of my birch woods scene.

Silent Light
Bluebell Light
Falling Light

This is a winter version of Falling Light. I was particularly focusing on the colors and depth of the snow, inspired by a picture from a calendar - Long Forgotten by Michael Humphries.

Falling Light
Fool's Light
Bluebell Light

I was trying to make a picture with the Northern Lights. I'm not sure it turned out very authentic, but I thought it made a nice picture anyway.
Created in Vue 11 Complete with minor adjustments in Paint Shop Pro.