The Cult of Ray

I looked out the window first-thing to see Venus hanging alone in the brightening sky like a frosted jewel; the mountains deep blue and crowned with white; the sea rippling gently below but glassy in the foreground - a motionless heron silhouetted in front of it and reflected in it; the lawn blanketed with hoar frost. It was still too dark to get a decent photo so I just stood and watched.

But I have included a photo I took a couple of days ago, showing an interesting and rather beautiful ray effect as the sun came up behind the mountains. I placed the wee fishing boat in the foreground for added interest.

The days are now breathtakingly short. The sun seems to whip round to the end of the house, scraping the mountain tops along the way, and disappear out out of view before I've even digested my breakfast. I suppose it's a choice of getting up earlier at the weekends or going nocturnal.