Our winter landscape is brown this year because of our snow drought.  And from a photographer’s viewpoint (at least this photographer), brown is not the most photogenic of landscape colors, especially in winter.  But my attention was caught this morning when I looked out our front window.   A few years back we planted a small magnolia by the window.  Because it’s early February there’s nothing special about this magnolia — it’s way too early for it to bloom, and it’s only sticks and tips of branches right now.  But I saw it much differently this morning when I looked out the window.  The sun was backlighting the magnolia and the branches seemed to be dancing in the light — they were thin and random and their tips were haloed with the sunlight.  Even the reflection of the side window frames seemed to add an ethereal quality to the setting before me.  The entire scene and dance was playing out for me right outside my window — it only asked that I be aware and notice it.  A little bit of extra attention to those things we see and take for granted everyday can sometimes reward us with exceptional sights, moments, and in this case photographs.