some lights lengthen, as some go dark

It’s the equinox, traditionally the day when Spring really kicks off (although some parts of the world are still iced under). Today we’ve had a proper Spring mixed bag – a tantrum of angry hailstones tossed about on moody winds, followed by sunshiny winsomeness.

The gorse is in full bloom now and its coconutty fragrance is being wafted in the woods by the Spring gusts. I snapped this photo the other evening, when the light was a sleepy orange. For me it captures the joys of the lengthening days.

Yet, life is fickle, and this morning I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of the author Lucius Shepard. I had hoped to meet him in person last year at World Fantasy Con, but it never happened due to his deteriorating health.

I’d become friendly with him via social media (Facebook), where we tended to discuss films. He struck me an insightful person who had lived a large life, and had done things and gone places most people only dream of doing or seeing. He was also an extraordinary gifted writer, and his short stories were always a pleasure to read.

If you want a more personal snapshot of his life then I’d recommend reading Michael Swanwick’s tribute to his friend.