Gloomy and Moody or Intriguing and Mysterious #SundayStills

Time to visit my favorite Gray and White photos. The #Sunday Stills monthly color theme is gray and white. Is your first thought overcast days? That was my initial thought but there’s so much more to gray and white in photos. My mind thinks of mystery and intrigue. Maybe, I watch and read too many thrillers.

Maybe you’re somewhere where the sky is gray and gloomy like we are. It is that time of year in the US after all! Even if you’re covered in clouds like us; if the ground is covered with white snow, I’m envious. Snow changes an otherwise brown winter landscape into something bright and pure. We get to look at mud. We’re in more of a dark bursting clouds over slick mud river kind of season!

Winter is Here!

Snow, clouds, a grand mountain peak is all it takes to see that gray and white can be majestic. There’s no gloomy mood when my eyes take in these views of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.

Intriguing

January 2023 was my first visit to the Huntington Library and Gardens located in San Marino, CA. We caught a break in our wet stormy weather to enjoy a full day wandering everywhere and even had picnic lunch. So much ground to cover and a place where you are unable to rush around and every turn is a new something intriguing.

The Japanese gardens was one of my favorites. Courtyards covered in rock patterns complemented the surrounding plants and architecture.

Mysterious

How old is this bonsai? Such a nice collection of bonsai but I did not capture any details as to it’s age or where it originated. These special trees are not your typical house plant.

A cactus that reminds me of a flower bloom? Maybe a dangerous one with those sharp points on the end. The cactus garden took me by surprise. My plan was to skip it. We do live in the desert and visit the unpopulated desert so I decided we should skip the desert garden and move onto something we’re less familiar with.

Boy were we surprised. It was so grand to see the cactus here grow large and show no signs of drying up due to lack of water. Being in a garden setting, they had plenty of water and grew to be grand and beautiful.

Why do these tree roots sprawl so far above ground? Our trees around here and in our forests, simply sprout a trunk and grow upward from there. Yet this tree sent out it gray roots above ground like fingers stretching outward to catch the suns rays.

Moody?

I might be tainted believing snow is always beautiful. It’s almost always a winter fantasy land. Admittedly, I’ve only live in snow country for less than a year at the ripe old age of 18; those of you who have to shovel and drive in snow every winter are probably not as giddy as I am when snow arrives. Here’s our view driving through the Wyoming snowy landscape topped with puffy white clouds. See, it does look like a winter fantasy land!

After driving along the slushy highway I-80 in Wyoming, we were left with ice everywhere and a gift. This one wheel hub morphed into a star.

Chasing My Dim Afternoons Away

Let’s face it. Winter’s short days can be a downer especially if the sun has been elusive. Under a cloudy month of of rain clouds, between 3-4pm the afternoon gets gloomy. I have a solution! It’s a perfect time to chase away that gloomy gray late afternoon with candles. It’s the only time of year I love to light multiple candles around the front room. Then it’s time to fire up a playlist and start cooking dinner. My room is brightened as is my mood.

It won’t be too much longer and you’ll have spring starting to bloom and then we’ll be trying to stay cool. I don’t know what this blower is called. Following a trail in Montana, we came across several pockets of blooming wildflowers. The light just shines through the white petals.

About the Photo Challenge

A weekly themed photo challenge hosted by Terri. Check out her Blog and come back and visit for more SundayStills and traveling posts!

More Sunday Still Posts

Thanks for visiting our travel blog and I hope you enjoyed finding the #SundayStills Challenge. You can join the weekly challenge by visiting our hosts blog Second Wind Leisure. and checking out Terri’s post for this week, Days of #Gray and #White.