We Are Not Alone

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Sunday 22^nd August 2010

Evening 7pm

Here! Though am not alone in the lighthouse. I’m sharing the space with what appears to be newly emerged flying ants! Though they aren’t flying and are quite dopey. Hope they don’t bite.

Just remembered I left a jar of hot chocolate here. Ah simple pleasures! And my mum’s raspberry sponge cake M Mmmm ! Thanks mum!

Midnight.

I’ve been keenly rewarded by an amazing sunset. Again it crept up and surprised me. I never can tell what’s going to happen. There was a lot of cloud at the horizon. The pink band directly above the horizon intensified as I sketched becoming a deeper crimson. Then the sun unexpectantly started to appear at the base of the cloud wall slipping down and entering into the crimson band.

It is so exciting to see and to watch. And during those moments I feel so lucky, privileged, blessed … I don’t know what’s the word, like I’ve been allowed to take a peek at Tutankhamen’s jewels or something. And perhaps because I’m here on my own it’s like a big secret that I only know about. Like sneaking into the British Museum after hours or something (or wherever King Tut is these days!) It is such a rare moment. And I scribble my vain attempts to capture what I’m witnessing.

It was visually interesting to observe the distortion of the sun as it was sinking into the horizon. The sun created a curve in the line of the horizon obviously because of it’s intensity.

It was great to see the reverse of the sunrise - the suns orb sinking rather than rising.

After the sun disappeared I eventually made out the faint vertical and diagonal lines of the Humber Bridge. I was stunned! The sun sank behind the bridge! It’s a shame that no one was here to witness this with me. The flying ants weren’t interested! I have never seen the bridge from here before. I didn’t know it could be seen. As the sun was setting the orb of the sun was too intense and burned it out. But once the sun had sunk away the bridge was faintly silhouetted. I really couldn’t believe my eyes. Anyway I quickly added a few lines of what I could see onto my first sketch.

It was funny though. All this was happening in front of my eyes but eyes in the back of my head would have been useful! I am really aware that it is nearly full moon and what little I do know about the moon cycles is that the full moon rises at the same time as the sun sets. How amazing is that! What symmetry in nature. I have never seen the moon emerge from the sea. So I am two days away from a full moon. Every few minutes I would have a quick glance round to check if there was a moon.

This circular 360 degree glass tower is sooooo perfect. I can’t believe how lucky I am. The sun rise, the sunset, the moon rise, the moon set etc all from one spot.

Gotta go to bed up at 5.30 am.