"These landscapes of water and reflection are an obsession" - Claude Monet
The gently moving surface of the lake generates a mesmerizing reflection of tree trunks at the end of the day and, when the movement is slowed, suggests a still photograph as well. Video © Donald J. Rommes. Music by Sergey Cheremisinov
We know of what Claude speaks.
We went into the mountains not to seek reflections or images. But a lengthy hike cleared the mental noise of everyday life and prepared us to fully appreciate the simple reflection of trees in water at the end of the day.
July 30th proved to be the hottest day of the year on the mountain—even though snow still lingered on the slopes and blocked several trails. The heat and altitude caused us to shorten our hike, but for all the effort, it was still great to be outdoors.
We passed perhaps a dozen groups of hikers during the day. State rules for mask wearing mandate their use in public spaces—even outdoors—if social distancing cannot be practiced. A little more than half the groups we encountered put on their masks until they were past us. The rest moved off the trail until we went by.
We interpreted that behavior as a sign of respect, both for the potency of this novel coronavirus and for us. It made us more comfortable.
It is always good to be outside. The exercise and fresh air do wonders, but in our opinion, freedom from the myriad mental distractions of modern life is especially important.
The brain only has so much processing power. It is always making sub-conscious decisions about which things to pay attention to. Minimizing distractions reduces the number of items competing for your mental attention, freeing up enough "computing space" to follow a random thought or explore a new idea.
We were tired and overheated at the end of the day when we paused at this lake. There was a slight breeze that riffled the water—enough to mar the reflection of the mountain, yet sufficient to create a mesmerizing, impressionistic pattern of reflected tree trunks. We must have watched that dance, enchanted, for several minutes.
Eventually, and with a tip of the hat to Monet, I made a brief video and a photo or two—to share.
The perfect reflection foiled by a slight, but constant breeze. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
Impressionistic patterns of tree trunks made possible by the same slight, but constant breeze. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
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