{shadows} over Sedona - 52 Photos yr2 wk8

Hands and fingers have been a little, shall we say, uncooperative this week

Thanks to the wonders of modern medicine aka cortisone injections

I am able to type a bit this morning, though I am supposed to be resting them...

(have I mentioned that I am not good at following rules?)

As a result, I will be using photos from my archives this week 

for Bella's prompt at 52 Photos Project

I chose these particular photos because it was the shadows 

that called out to be captured,

over all the awe and beauty of the scenery,

at moments when my eyes wanted to be looking everywhere at once.

The journey began while the town of Sedona, Arizona
still slept in the shadows of night as the sun prepared to rise over the valley

while we waited in near darkness to climb aboard our balloon
and follow our companions into the sunrise

we watched the sun rise as our balloon rose with it...
...we came over this crest to witness a beautiful scene below us
where the shadows crept across the valley while the sun continued its ascent

even when the sun was fully awake
and the people of Sedona headed out on the highway to work
Oak Creek Canyon was full of shadows...
...and we were casting a tiny shadow of our own!
(that would be 'me' in the centre, above the highway)

we went down into a gulch in the canyon and again
it was the shadows cast by the rocky wall that caught my attention

and the trees shadows mingling with our own as we went lower

and then we rose again to continue our flight over the world
which was now bathed in sunlight
with only tiny shadows cast by trees and bushes being visible

until our own shadow was cast over the Suburban that would shuttle us to
a celebratory champagne picnic breakfast and our balloon 'pilot' certificates!

I have to admit that I was very impressed with the incredibly accurate precision
with which these gentlemen could estimate and execute our landing!


"Shadow owes its birth to light." ~ John Gay

Thanks to Bella for a great prompt this week!

Have a wonderful weekend!