Evening Rises
A change in the weather came this week. We transitioned from days that were sunny, hot, and dry to days of dark, cold, and wet. The rapid change made for lovely sights in the wetlands and ponds. Mists rose and were shaped by chilly breezes, staged before an emerald background of fresh new leaves. Soon the weather will change again that is one of the things we can really count upon, isn’t it?
Early-evening Sun Shines Through Floating Islands
In the early evening the sun shined bright through scattered, billowing clouds. Cloud edges glowed bright white while the bodies appeared dark with lighter areas betraying layers.
Pillar of Cloud in Late-Evening Sunlight
As light flowed through the hazy atmosphere shadows and streams, rivers of light and shadow, formed rays* high above our heads. It was a fine show for anyone willing to look up, made by clouds, and sun, and a bit of air.
Mounds of Clouds Rising Above Trees
*This is the very definition of “crepuscular rays.” Go ahead, use the term, impress your friends!
A cascade of blooms falls towards a small stream on a misty morning.
While some like only bright, sunny days, I find harmony and inspiration in the melancholy nature of a day like today. The light is soft, the skies gray, a soft mist occasionally falls, colors are more intense, the world and my soul a little quieter.
Dull morning light reveals a snow-flocked tree.
We’re nearly one week into spring, says the calendar, and today we received about four inches of very wet snow. Yep. Lots of wet snow. On the one hand, most of us are kind of tired of looking at it, much less dealing with the slipping, sliding, and shoveling. Then again, it can be very pretty.
It was hard to keep driving.
Driving this morning was actually a pleasure. I took the most scenic route I know of to get to my destination. It was very tempting to stop every five minutes and take it all in. I did not stop every five minutes but I did stop several times, right in the road, to shoot photos from inside the car. I would make an exposure, look into the rear-view mirror which (I swear) seconds before was clear, only to find a car approaching, pushing me forward. The only real stop I made was at the Strongsville Wildlife Area where I hoped to see dark water surrounded by snow-flocked trees. I got a surprise. After spying on the Canada geese squabbling on the chilled waters, I turned to the left and, from inside the observation blind, was shocked to see a Great Egret standing only a few feet away. I had only my little PowerShot G11 with me and its operation is as near-silent as can be. Still, the great white bird allowed one photo, then took wing. I’ll bet that’s the same bird I spotted last summer. I’ll get ‘im yet!
Not a Snowy Egret but a Great Egret in the Snow!
The snow didn’t stick to the trees for long and later in the day, despite continuing spits of new snow, their branches were bare and dark. We may be ready for spring but we need to be ready for unexpected treats.
Welcome, uh, Spring?
Today was the first day after the Vernal Equinox, it could be said to be the first full day of spring. For those of us in Northeastern Ohio, this fine “spring” day dawned with temperatures hovering at about 17 degrees (F) with a light coating of snow everywhere, and new snow lightly falling. Yeah, spring. Driving to my duties, I passed through the snowy spring wonderland gazing at many a lovely scene. Finally I stopped at a favorite place for morning pictures, the Lagoons area of Cleveland Metroparks, to record a scene or two. Dark waters set off snow-covered wooded grounds, and outlined the trees. Falling flakes clouded some distant areas. Amidst this seeming unseasonal scenery was a bit of a surprise. Two Canada Geese launched into the frigid waters to escape my approach and on their backs… a coating of snow. Spring? Well, it hasn’t “sprung” just yet.
Not Snow Geese, SNOWY geese!
View to the east, along Huntington Beach, with Downtown Cleveland in the distance and a wine bottle on sandy ice.
A little jaunt to the Lake Erie shoreline this morning gave us dramatic vistas of sky and ice! The lake is only partly frozen and great plates of ice have been driven into piles near-shore off Huntington Beach in Bay Village, Ohio. Lighting conditions were constantly changing with the sky. Clouds overhead were white while those low to the horizon took on a brownish hue. Temperatures hovering in the upper-30s (F) allowed me to explore the area a bit and take it all in. By afternoon our overcast had returned. We have, still, memories of the ice-jammed beach.
Shattered ice piles off-shore from Huntington Beach.
Layers of decaying wood fiber decorated by lichens and snow on the forest floor.
Surprise! Instead of a cloudy and cold day, we received a cloudless and mild (~ 30 degrees F) Saturday! It was a fine occasion for a little walk at Akron’s Nature Realm park. The woods were loaded with Black-Capped Chickadees that were being hand-fed by some visitors. I was most fascinated by snow and shadow. What, to my eye, really stood out was a pinwheel of decaying wood capped with lichens and snow — an amazing touch of color in a seeming monochrome landscape.
Spots of light fell on snow formations in the shadows of the woods.
Dry reeds in a wetland area add a touch of color to a winter scene.
I haven’t been outdoors for much photography this winter. So when we made a brief foray to Hinckley Lake this afternoon, even a few snapshots were better than nothing! The lake was, except for a wet spot or two, completely covered with snow over a thin layer of ice. The sky was mostly cloudy with gaps providing brief interludes of bright sunshine between long periods of dull light. Among the fields of white and gray woodlands, there were splashes of color. I hope to get out and spend some real time exploring the winter scenery. Til then, these little visits will have to do.
Boats wait, covered in snow and ice, for spring thaw.
End of a Lovely Day, Beginning of Hard Weather
It was a lovely day today, considering it’s mid-January. The sky was mostly-clear and sunny and, though very windy all day, the temperature hovered around 50 degrees (F). It really did look and feel like a fine day in March. We are expecting a rather dramatic change in the weather around here. The temperature is expected to gradually slide from today’s high to single-digit lows over the next few days. We may also get another dose of snow midweek. This evening’s sunset was lovely, even as it portended the coming changes with a lovely burst of sun, a patch of blue sky, and encroaching quilted clouds. Tonight’s sunset was the end of a lovely day and marked the beginning of hard winter weather.
Snow Guy… Cute or Spooky?
I spotted this little snow guy perched on the railing of my balcony. He was shaped by wind and a brief thaw. At first I thought he was cute. Then I realized he reminded me of the “Sandman” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Now I’m worried.
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