While I collect my thoughts and words, dear friends, here are some more pictures from Wednesday's Grand Day Out with my mom, who was very pleased with how our Gates photos turn out. These, along with the one I posted on Wednesday, are my favorites. I'm a big fan of the fourth and fifth photos in the series, the fourth for setting up an optical illusion, the fifth for correcting it.
I am glad you posted the snaps--I can almost smell the cold breeze and hear the fabric snap!
When I was in my twenties or so, growing up in Marin County north of San Francisco, I was driving along 101 North and saw the very surreal sight of white sheets of fabric placed all along the rolling golden California hills. I learned later it was a Christo art installation. In my naivete I thought it was a silly thing to do, but later realized that it had indeed made me look at the landscape in a new way and served its artistic purpose. It was cool, but I am also glad they are not intended to be permanent installations. I liked reading your associations with the beautiful color.
I like the giants in picture four.