Dancing The Light Fantastic

Dancing The Light Fantastic, originally uploaded by TomRaven.

This country has such a glorious quality of light! I feel so blessed to live here so close to the wild west coast and the beach. Wandering on the beach every evening with my camera is a ritual I will never tire of. This time of year more than any, I think, is so beautiful! It may be cold on the beach, especially in a brisk westerly wind, but it is truly empty and the light, oh the light.
The Dancing Gull is a signature character in many of my shots and there is a whole story around how he came to be and around the group I co founded on Flickr - Fat Bee & Dancing Gull - so it's nice to catch him dancing at the beach in these glorious winter sunsets.

Come, and trip it as ye go

On the light fantastic toe,

And in thy right hand lead with thee,

The mountain-nymph, sweet Liberty;

And if I give thee honour due,

Mirth, admit me of thy crew

To live with her, and live with thee,

In unreproved pleasures free;

To hear the lark begin his flight,

And singing startle the dull night,

From his watch-tower in the skies,

Till the dappled dawn doth rise;

Then to come in spite of sorrow,

And at my window bid good-morrow,

Through the sweet-briar, or the vine,

Or the twisted eglantine;

While the cock with lively din,

Scatters the rear of darkness thin,

And to the stack, or the barn door,

Stoutly struts his dames before;

Oft list'ning how the hounds and horn

Cheerly rouse the slumb'ring morn,

From the side of some hoar hill,

Through the high wood echoing shrill.

From L'Allegro by John Milton (1608 - 1674)