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Tag Archives: sunset

Grand Canyon Sunset

SW Trip part 8

 

Sunset can be that glorious time between night and day when the light changes in the blink of an eye.

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For instance, if you blinked, you missed this moment.

 

We stayed at the park til sunset both days and drove back to our camp site in the dark. It was well worth the effort. Easy for me to say since I wasn’t driving! These images are all from the second day of our visit.

With a background as spectacular as the Grand Canyon, the setting sun constantly changes the colors of the rocks creating a kaleidoscope effect of horizontal layers. Initially the colors are subtle with little contrast. As the sun tips below the horizon, the rocks seem to be illuminated from within and when the sun was below the horizon and the sky lit up as if on fire, the light reflected onto the rock walls was magnificent. 

Engaged at the Grand Canyon

SW Trip part 6

 

As I was enjoying sunset on our first evening at the Grand Canyon I noticed a couple walking to the overlook dressed much differently from the rest of the tourists. They were wearing nice clothes – he was in a suit and tie and she was wearing a dress and heels with a nice coat. It was chilly for bare legs. They held hands as he led her through the crowd of folks  with cameras and cell phones in hand to capture the evening’s sunset. When they got out to the wall he announced for all to hear that he was going to propose to her right there and he handed his cell phone to a complete stranger and asked her to take pictures. Of course, many, many people were taking pictures and it was quite the scene! The woman looked astonished and happy as he knelt in front of her and carefully unwrapped a scarf from around a ring box and opened it and then asked her to marry him! She wasted no time accepting his proposal and he slipped the ring on her finger! It will be a Grand day for them to remember.

Hummingbirds at Sunset

The long hours of dusk in the summer time are some of my favorites. And recently we’ve had tremendous sunsets most every evening. This is partially due to smoke from neighboring wildfires. It doesn’t slow down the hummingbirds. We still see them going to the feeders, sometimes aggressively defending them from other hummers. There are fewer than there were a month ago. They are mostly juveniles now. The adults have moved on, migrating south to their wintering grounds or up in the mountains in search of nectar from wildflowers. I do enjoy warm summer evenings on our deck.

The clouds provide an ever-changing view.

Sunset on Sand Dollar Beach

I can’t resist the ever-changing colors of a sunset and sunset on a beach is the most perfect.

Getting to Big Sur

We camped for most of the two-week trip except when we stayed with my aunt and uncle in Napa. From Napa we drove to Big Sur. Looking at the maps, it seemed like a pretty easy half-day drive. As with most of the trip, it took much longer than we expected. We finally arrived at a campsite in time for sunset and a very late dinner. I know it’s too many sunset images but how can I decide what to cut?

The Golden Gate
Alcatraz
San Francisco
The dogs were not impressed
Sand Dollar Beach
Paintbrush
Field bindweed. It was everywhere