Just as the Japanese Maple reached full fall glory, the first snow arrived.
Burdened by the icy wet, leaves shower from the treetop down; they dress the ground beneath the tree in brilliance not seen in a year.
As winter draws near.
snow
All posts tagged snow
Cloudfall. Snow and graupel falling from their bases make the clouds appear to be collapsing.
I usually don’t care much for winter cloudscapes. Snowy days tend to be overcast, shapeless, dull. Yesterday was different.
Sun-Snow-Shadow. Snow streamers and crepuscular rays interact. Snow and graupel falling from their bases make the clouds appear to be collapsing. Canon 7D Mark 2, March 7, 2018. Photo by James Guilford.
I was visiting relatives in Northwestern Ohio, driving from one town to the next, when clouds near the horizons caught my eye; it almost appeared the clouds were collapsing on to the farmland below! The wide, open views of flat farmland, along with isolated areas of falling snow and graupel produced fascinating scenes.
Isolated Snow Showers.
Bands of dark cloud swept overhead while, lit by the late afternoon sun, the falling streams of snowy precipitation shifted with the wind kept me stopping on the quiet country roads of Henry and Fulton Counties, hopping from site to site, making me late to my destination.
I couldn’t help it; the sight was so out of the ordinary.
Away! A crow takes flight from a field of snow.
DUST OF SNOW
by Robert Frost
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Wow! I haven’t posted anything since October?! Things have been happening, not all of them happy, but I did get out today on a little solo hike in the snow and fresh air. I also brought home a nice collection of new photographs and here are a few of them…
Memories of Times Past, Hope for the Future.
I spied a little bird’s nest in the branches of a small tree, the branches bare and the nest full of snow. I wrote this to accompany the photo:
A bird’s tiny nest,
Carefully woven in springtime,
Young fledged and gone away,
Nest now filled with snow.
Memories of times past,
Hope for the future.
The day was breezy and cold — 20° F– and as I was paused, photographing something at trailside, a gentleman passed, trudging through the fresh snow. “It’s refreshing today!” I answered, “That’s a word.” Perhaps not a witty exchange, but it was accurate.
Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Though it won’t officially be winter for another several days, the weather, woods, and wildlife tell a different tale. Birds, especially, were scarce and mostly silent. In fact, during the first portion of my hike near the frozen wetland of Buckeye Woods Park, Medina, I saw no birds at all. Finally, in a small area along a branch trail, could be heard chirps of feathered ones. In the distance, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and a woodpecker flitted from tree to tree. A Chickadee eyed me warily, half in fear, half in hope of my bringing lunch. Only a lone female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) lingered long enough and close enough for me to grab an image. The bird glowed in muted colors, lit from beneath by white snow. She soon joined her kind in trees far from me.
I ended my foray by venturing to the end of the trailhead parking lot. Across the road and a field was a derelict barn surrounded by bare trees, white snow below, white sky above. I think it might make a nice holiday card.
Old Barn – Last Legs
I must get out more often.
A rainy morning transitioned to a snowy afternoon .
Driving back from a car service appointment, I paused for a while to enjoy the quiet beauty of the Cleveland Metroparks’ Hinckley Reservation. The only camera I had with me was in my little iPhone 5s but I got a couple of nice shots out of it; this is my favorite.
Pileated Woodpecker – Male (Hylatomus pileatus)
Since wicked winter weather was expected to develop later this day, we headed out early to run a couple of important errands. Returning in the heavy snow, I spotted a big bird on my suet feeder. Wow! It was a Pileated Woodpecker (Hylatomus pileatus) the first I’d ever seen! Fortunately, I had a compact snapshot camera in my coat pocket. Rolling down the car window I made a bunch of shots and, though most were poor due to the camera’s slow action, bird’s fast motions, or blinding snowfall, I got three acceptable images. Except for forays out to clear snow from the walks, we’ll be staying in for the rest of the day but I’m certainly glad we went out this morning… if we hadn’t gone out, we wouldn’t have returned, and I’d have missed an exciting sight. Exciting, if you like birds!
Photo Details: Samsung Galaxy Camera 2: ISO 100, f/5.5, 1/10 sec., 310 mm equiv.
The Snow Fell Like Fog
On a much-needed hike in the fresh snow, I followed deer tracks until I met their makers: a buck and doe Whitetail hiding in the woods. I watched them and they watched me. I shot a few photos. I walked a bit closer to the deer. I shot a few photos. And so on. The buck, more wary than the doe, took off down the bank of a shallow gully and watched from the other side. The doe stayed put though she twitched with each click of my camera’s shutter. A gust of wind arose blowing the snow off bare tree branches above, falling in a sudden and brief blizzard, looking like fog. I recorded a few more image frames. I approached a bit more. The doe gave me one last look and followed her mate deeper into the brush. Lifted, I turned back and away from the Whitetails and, slogging through the snow and frigid evening air, headed to the edge of the wood, returning to a noisier world.
Too Close, Time to Go
Quiet Remembrance
On a frigid morning hike in the Allardale Park, Medina County (Ohio) Park District this morning, I happened across a touching sight. There, on the snow-covered seat of a park bench, someone had earlier used a finger to draw a “love heart.” Sweet enough, I suppose, but then we see that the bench was dedicated in someone’s memory; now this becomes a poignant scene. It turns out the person named had died six months earlier, at age 90. This will be the first winter, the first Christmas, his relatives, friends, and the parks will see without him in a long, long time. That he was loved and is missed, shown in the outline of a Valentine in snow.
The Pond at Nature Realm. Yes, it was Green!
After a gloomy Saturday and a night that featured about four inches of heavy, wet snow, Sunday brought blue skies and sunshine. We took advantage of the gorgeous day and made a little trip to Summit MetroParks’ Nature Realm. The park’s paved pathway allowed for a nice photo walk without a slog through snow-covered mud. Bird calls filled the air as we took in the sights. Not a lot of photos to show for our casual trip but it was great getting out in the mild, fresh air, and feeling the sun shine on our faces. It has been a long, hard winter that seems not to want to end, and we’re looking forward to spring. Real spring.
Translucence
Ice Cliffs on Lake Erie’s Shoreline
Ice Cliffs and Knolls: Formed along the Lake Erie beach by wind-driven waves and ice flows, sand-tinted piles mound high over the shore. Soon the ice will melt, the sand will drop back to the waterline, and wondering photographers will no longer walk suspended above the scene.
White Desert Out There
PhotonStopper 