La Pie

The first snow of the winter is on the ground now. I am looking out at heavy, dark weather clouds and the light reminds me of living in Germany. I rarely get that feeling in the Colorado bright fall and summer days. Only in winter is the light sometimes similar enough to trigger my memory. It is the same light I see in a painting of Monet's called La Pie (The Magpie). The bird sits on a gate surrounded by snow and cloud; there is a pink undertone behind it. When the daylight is like this, I recognize it--I have for years now, since I moved from Germany to Colorado.

That is the light of today. There is no bright Colorado sunshine falling on my sunroom. Instead it is winter as the rest of the world normally sees it. I like these days. They remind me of other places and fun times.