Finally, I’ve crossed off all items on a hefty To Do list–I’m up for some fun. My granddaughter catches the spirit and tone of this photo essay with her Rocket Launch, drawn when she was five. This series doesn’t explain color theory, the electromagnetic spectrum or star magnitudes, but it may lighten your heart.
Dark and light are seen together.Sometimes the crystal ball is cloudy. We can’t quite see for lack of contrast.Sometimes what we see is distorted by glasses or emotional filters. Jim’s party enjoyment ramps up when he borrows these glasses from Ron Abst.
Other times, we are struck by unexpected, awesome light.
Light can be mysterious. Photo by Hank Birnbaum.Even though we see sunlight every day, it shows up in unexpected places.
We are surprised by what we cannot see without a photo. Photo by Jim Butler.
Even though we are familiar with rainbows, they always take our breath away. Photo by Midori Gunheim.
Tiny, spectacular lights bloom forth from Carolyne Singer’s pin jewelry.
Candles highlight nuances.
You can pay for your name to be lit up internationally for 15 minutes of fame.
Your name can be lit up brilliantly on paper. Note the invisible lines guiding the straight line. Calligraphy by Rick Paulus.
Light shines on and through the honey jar.
Carolyne Singer’s crystal pendant refracts fabulous light.
Light is bizarre when an eclipse is seen through a colander.
Clouds light up mellow as meringue.
We walk beneath a marvelous moon glowing above buttermilk clouds.
The camera version of a bonfire is almost as interesting as the real thing.
Inside James Turrell’s Skyspace at the deYoung Museum, our attention focuses on the ever-changing light.
While munching my lunch inside the dome, this surprise beamed through the oculus above.We wish we could have seen Leonard’s comet as it zoomed by the Hubble Telescope in 2021.
Thanks to Puerto Rico’s astronomers we see the moon passing over Alderon star in the Taurus constellation in 2016. Photo by Fernando Roquel Torres.
The James Webb Telescope’s infrared capacity allows scientists to see through space dust to galaxies as they were 12 billion years ago. Image from NASA/ESA/JWST
Closer to home on a rainy evening seven years ago, we exclaimed over Jim’s red and green chaser.
Our solar panels absorb light, which translates to household electric power.
Off- the -grid technology translates light on solar panels to power for household conveniences.
Thanks to light, we can see in the dark
Stay tuned: we will explore dark shadows in the next photo essay.
I LOVE these, Gretchen! So glad that you were up so some fun! I have fun playing with light too! Sending love and best wishes for a happy and healthy Fall. Diane




I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. —Albert Einstein
2 things driving me crazy. I think i finally fixed the ending with casita light on at night.
But on home page and also beginning of stories from wild lands, the links are not alive. when you get to the end of the opening excerpt you should be able to go directly to the story. i’m bummed and have to quit for tonight
But thank you for your loves!
Yes, maybe I love the Light that shines through the Darkness most of all. Sunshine is brilliant, but it is truly love-ly when the light of the moon illuminates anything, including the casita. It made me think of the historic Underground Railroad.
Hi Gretchen, I loved seeing your many perspectives of light. Just exquisite. Beautiful and inspiring.
I tried to respond within your post but messed up and couldn’t figure it out.
So here I am to say thank you for sharing you many faceted light.
We are heading up to Snohomish on Wednesday. It’s hard to be leaving this beautiful time of year. I’ve been chatting some early mornings with my friendly northern Pygmy owl neighbor. What a treat and a toot.
I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about us being away from our homey comforts. Where has our carefree easy going flexible youth gone? I’m taking your inspiration of light with me. Remembering that it’s available everywhere, all around us, all the time.
Made a pie with OHenry peaches off our new tree and thought of you.
So glad to hear from you! don’t think you messed up. Love from the pygmies, who thrill and trill every night. You were the first person to teach me about them. Look forward to your return to homey comforts. May all go as easy as possible.
Thank you for the lights. I was told if I stood in a ring of really tall redwood trees I could look up and see stars in the daytime. I haven’t tried too hard to see them because I wanted the story to be true. So far I think the trees are too short. That’s ok. I like looking for the light…
Gretchen Butler Wild Art 
I LOVE these, Gretchen! So glad that you were up so some fun! I have fun playing with light too! Sending love and best wishes for a happy and healthy Fall. Diane




I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. —Albert Einstein

>
LikeLike
Love your light!
LikeLike
2 things driving me crazy. I think i finally fixed the ending with casita light on at night.
But on home page and also beginning of stories from wild lands, the links are not alive. when you get to the end of the opening excerpt you should be able to go directly to the story. i’m bummed and have to quit for tonight
But thank you for your loves!
LikeLike
Love all of it, Gretchen! You two have always lit ME up! Keep shining! Love to you, Margaret
LikeLike
thank you so much. But do you see the casita with the light on in the dark??
LikeLike
Yes, maybe I love the Light that shines through the Darkness most of all. Sunshine is brilliant, but it is truly love-ly when the light of the moon illuminates anything, including the casita. It made me think of the historic Underground Railroad.
Love, M
LikeLike
Light! Brava! wonderful, thanks Michael H
LikeLike
Thank you, Michael. While delving through my vast photo file, I noticed my photo of the light over your doorway. You send out light in so many ways.
LikeLike
Oh Gretchen-
WONDERFUL!
Honored, humbled & delighted to be “by your side”, dear neighbor! Continued wondrous blessings!
LikeLike
Hank, re-discovering your photo was so much fun. Thank you for advance permission to use it!
LikeLike
How totally wonderful–thanks to both you and Jim.
LikeLike
Stargazer! may the force be with us daytime/night time.
LikeLike
Hi Gretchen!
<
div>
<
div>I love this beautiful perspective
LikeLike
Patti! I remember you well. Thank you!
LikeLike
mesmerizing! so many different kinds of beauty!
LikeLike
Barbara, I appreciate your comment. I get so sweaty before pushing the publish button.
LikeLike
Thank you for sharingâ¦.and â brighteningâ my day.
Will be home soonâ¦
<
div>
<
div dir=”ltr”>Siena. Wh
LikeLike
Thank you! was just thinking about you. FYI now I’m collecting photos w/ gold–like the one you sent from Orvieto.
LikeLike
Hi Gretchen, I loved seeing your many perspectives of light. Just exquisite. Beautiful and inspiring.
I tried to respond within your post but messed up and couldn’t figure it out.
So here I am to say thank you for sharing you many faceted light.
We are heading up to Snohomish on Wednesday. It’s hard to be leaving this beautiful time of year. I’ve been chatting some early mornings with my friendly northern Pygmy owl neighbor. What a treat and a toot.
I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about us being away from our homey comforts. Where has our carefree easy going flexible youth gone? I’m taking your inspiration of light with me. Remembering that it’s available everywhere, all around us, all the time.
Made a pie with OHenry peaches off our new tree and thought of you.
Love,
S
Sent from my iPhone
LikeLike
So glad to hear from you! don’t think you messed up. Love from the pygmies, who thrill and trill every night. You were the first person to teach me about them. Look forward to your return to homey comforts. May all go as easy as possible.
LikeLike
Am fascinated by light as well. Thanks for sharing. P.S. Especially liked the eclipse viewed a collander.
LikeLike
Glad for your colander eclipse light delight. Are you going to be watching the lunar eclipse on Sat. 10/14?
LikeLike
Thank you for the lights. I was told if I stood in a ring of really tall redwood trees I could look up and see stars in the daytime. I haven’t tried too hard to see them because I wanted the story to be true. So far I think the trees are too short. That’s ok. I like looking for the light…
LikeLike
I’m going to look for the ring of tall redwoods. In the meantime, are you planning to view tomorrow’s eclipse?
LikeLike