Two Against Nature

I blame Steely Dan.

Ever since they issued their ‘comeback’ album in 2000 Sarah and I have been pausing at particular points on sunny walks and saying ‘Look, two against nature!’

And increasingly over the years we’ve been taking ‘arty’ photographs of this moment. Us two, silhouetted against all kinds of nature. Sometimes we might be sat peacefully on a beach.

Then, next minute when the sun comes out…

Autumn walks are particularly good for long shadows in mid-afternoon.

And last autumn, of course, after a year of steady rain, the boulder clay cliffs at Thurstaston were being washed away.

Over the years there have been variants. One against nature?

Reflections?

One that did is ‘Sarah’s feet in nature.’ Developing into ‘Both of our feet.’

And, too much of this for a few years there.

And this one looks at first glance like a ‘Two Against Nature.’

Meanwhile, back on Iona.

He didn’t tell us he’d taken it. But later that day he recognised us, in the same hostel as he was staying. And said he’d taken the photograph as he’d never seen two people ‘So content with each other and so absorbed in each other and the place and the moment.’

That’s how we are. Life is a sequence of present moments. Some with long shadows.