Les Études - The Nature Series: Samples Read online

Les Études – The Nature Series: Samples

  Copyright 2012 by Oluwatosin Ojumu

  A compilation of the whole Nature Series is available here:

  Les Etudes – The Nature Series

  Individual books within the Nature Series are available here

  Les Études – Skyscapes

  Les Études – Mountains

  Les Études – Sunsets

  Les Études – Maritime

  Les Études – Deserts

  Table of Contents

  Les Études – Skyscapes

  Les Études – Mountains

  Les Études – Sunsets

  Les Études – Maritime

  Les Études – Deserts

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  Les Études – Skyscapes

  This is a sample from the Ebook "Les Études – Skyscapes".

  Chapter 1 – Colours

  Sun Rise

  The sun is rising, its flaming body ascends over the horizon.

  Beneath it, the sky is a sonnet of rich red brown.

  Above it, layers of clouds, alternating in texture, width and luminosity, as they echo the iridescent rays.

  Soft clouds, marshmallow clouds, stripy cloud bands.

  Blue layers, black layers, glimmering red and yellow layers.

  The light released on its mission by its young master bounces playfully in the sky, teases and flirts with its heavenly subjects before finally shooting forth, to herald the new day.

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  Flock

  A sunset.

  A rainbow sky, lightly rinsed in watercolours – a strong ochre, burnished copper, giving way to mildest, gently hued blue.

  Clouds scattered, fanning a lacy network across the sky.

  Below the sky, the sea, gently rippling, simmering.

  A flock of birds, flys, hovers swoops in, adding movement, rhythm and percussion to our scene, feathered, pulsating beauty.

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  The Dawning of the Day.

  Dawn slowly breaks over the city harbour in pastel shades of pale pink-orange and gentle lime-blue.

  The water stirs, as if moved by an angel, or a huge underwater mixer.

  The ships which have been resting here over a quiet night slowly come to life.

  A road bridge spans the mouth of the port, where the river joins the sea.

  Its lights shine overhead, cheerfully welcoming the new day, like stars announcing the birth of the Sun King to be born today, as it is born every day.

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  Starry Sky

  The sky is glorious blue, royal blue, the colour rich, deep and consistent.

  In this sky the stars are brightly shining, and clearly visible, tiny holes of light glittering above.

  Beneath, the waves are tinkling onto the shore, white crested, ebbing and flowing, talkative witnesses to the splendour and majesty of the night.

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  Two Blue

  Sky and sea are mirror images reflecting the same intense royal blue, with white cloud drizzled over.

  Between earth and sky, just a shaving of white.

  No sun, no land, no trees, just blue above, and shimmering blue waves beneath.

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  Mist

  Crests of dark mountains arise from the sea, their crowns cradling fluid clouds.

  Mist creeps up to the heavens, softening the colours of the morning.

  Brown rises into mauve, then into a thin slice of orange, with a hint of ochre melting into pink then

  faint white then clear turquoise blue.

  On the other side of the black land, muddy brown rises into ochre then blends into pale pink, then light brown, then a wide band of primrose then a faint stroke of white, then lime green blazes before finally terminating in that same vivid azure.

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  Chapter 2 – Sky and Waves

  Sun Salad

  The sun has been roughly chopped up and scattered liberally over its dark bed of bitter cloud.

  Beneath this, tangy layers of flaky red sky; aromatic, flavoursome, like slices of home grown tomato, or crunchy red cabbage.

  The sea is a base of peppery salad leaves, intermittently sprinkled with bands of hot spices to draw out the vibrant flavours above.

  To top it all, a generous spreading of cloud mayonnaise.

  What a delicious meal to savour for an evening!

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  Bridge

  Above, a hazy sky wide brush strokes in blue, at the bottom of the sky it is now peach, with finer detail picked out in a delicate white toothpick line.

  Beneath, a river, a strip of tin foil, scrunched up then flattened, reflecting all imperfectly from its dented and dimpled surface.

  Between water and sky a band of trees, dark, foreboding.

  Above the trees a bridge tightly spans the chasm. The electronic light display between its arches are a majestic fountain of intense colour, blue fireworks streaming to the ground.

  Above the bridge, lights, twinkling like candles on a birthday cake, or tea lights floating on the Ganges, or guiding lights on a landing strip, bidding a joyous welcome or a fond farewell to the city.

  **********

  Firmament

  The clouds are almost touching the waves.

  There is only the faintest dividing line visible at the horizon.

  Below this line, the sea is gun metal, or liquid aluminium; choppy, restless and boisterous, crashing against the rocks, churned up in white foam.

  The sky above is even more dramatic, huge clouds slamming, smashing; blue-grey and heavy with sinister discontent.

  Arms pointing, chest beating, the fury of the gods unleashed.

  **********

  Marine Skyline

  Three wide bands are smeared over the the landscape.

  The jaggedy clouds are faintly glowing from the shy sun, a stratum of air like the consistent charcoal smudge of a gentle but determined hand, the sea rippling merrily, waves giggling as they race against one another.

  In the distance, some vessels – two ships, and a boat, calmly making their way quietly and purposefully into the peaceful sunset.

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  Beautiful View

  Some cottages are built by the waterfront, reminiscent of country idylls; thatched, and sprouting curly roses, smoke floating lightly on the breeze.

  The cottages are surrounded by trees – pines and weeping willows as well as small shrubs, bushes. In the distance, some mountains.

  Overhead, low-lying cloud formations are criss-crossed by fiery clouds higher up, all embedded in a sky of blue.

  Between cottages and mountains the sun sets, drawn by its own weight into the valley between houses and mountain.

  The watching lake sees and recounts everything – and houses and trees and mountains and sun and clouds and heavenly fire; colour and wonder and power and grace. What a beautiful view!

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  City on the Sea

  The sky is blazing, white hot, as it nears the end of its descent.

  Above, a crop of bobbly white cloud-flowers has blossomed in the aquamarine "soil".

  Below, the sun's piercing brightness resounds from the stillness of the molten waves.

  A city is built on the sea. Its skyline black against the shining of the sun.

  It stands majestically, regally, its zigzags and spikes like a tiara, with its one, huge, lustrous jewel sparkling out pure light, right to the ends of the earth.

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  Star and Stripes

  The sun sets, sinking deep into the soft land at the horizon. r />
  Its light bounces off the deeply piled layers of cloud above, and below, the rays glitter back from the waves.

  The colours are gently reflected from the peaceful sea: yellow edged with fuschia turning into orange which slowly blends into the blue.

  The sun is the star, and bands of cloud, thin ribbon of land and regular strokes of the ripples of the sea are the stripes.

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  Les Études – Mountains

  This is a sample from the Ebook “Les Études – Mountains”

  Chapter 1 – Jewels

  Serenity

  The mountain broods in serene contemplation, a gigantic mass of oblique corners, faceted edges, translucent slivers of grandeur carefully assembled.

  The cut glass brilliantly reflects the light; through the labyrinthine folds.

  In the foreground trees listen carefully, rapt in awe-struck silence, to the intonations of the great leader towering before them.

  The Verdant Emerald

  The mountain rises, one face a resplendent emerald, lush with verdant forest.

  Its pointed peak scrapes against dark blue translucence pulled taut and thin.

  This mountain is framed by two others, three triangles sitting neatly in a row, their faces reflected perfectly in the mirror of the still lake waters below.

  A delicate carpet of cloud hovers tentatively, afraid to obsure the beauty before it.

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  Note from the Author, Oluwatosin Ojumu

  Thank you so much for reading "Les Études – Nature Series: Samples". If you like this book please be sure to share it, and please also leave comments about it!

  About Oluwatosin Ojumu:

  Oluwatosin Ojumu is a writer, blogger and webdesigner.

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