We are in the middle of the transition from fall to winter in Minnesota, and Mother Nature has her own agenda. With fall colors still evident, we had two quick snowfalls. We love the four distinct seasons we have, yet we can be confused when the boundaries are blurred. My neighbors have a beautiful euonymus tree in their front yard. Its leaves are a wonderful pinkish-red in fall, and yet this week the branches were covered with snow. The white made the leaves glow a bit brighter, and contrasted them to the more usual golds and browns that were scattered on the sidewalk below. The wetness of the snow had its affect on the leaves; the next day the tree was bare and the ground was dappled with red.
Author: lindastaatsphoto
Following the fall colors south
Last weekend we headed south to the Kansas City area traveling through southern Minnesota, Iowa, and northern Missouri. The occasion was a special one – my brother’s wedding (congrats to him and his lovely bride!). Fall colors had peaked already in Minnesota, but by heading south to warmer climates we were able to enjoy more of those rich colors in the landscape. This scene in central Iowa caught my eye. Not only was the fence post and its decorative saw blade unique, but the white of the post and the red of the gate seemed to contrast and compliment the green pasture and the golden fall colors on the distant hills. Fall is soon to be a memory in Minnesota, but it was wonderful to enjoy the season in other states, and it was a perfect weekend to celebrate family and love.
A crisp and brilliant autumn day
When autumn is as brilliant as it’s been this year, we want it to continue. A crisp but not cold day, blue sky with some clouds, the changing colors with their deep hues, and a country road that winds through the woods with leaves crinkling under the tires and the deeper smell of fall in the air – the very best way to soak up a prime day of this most beautiful season.
A brilliant fall evening
I sat on the opposite side of the lake watching the shoreline come alive in the sunshine. The clouds had lingered throughout the day, but an hour before sunset they parted giving the light a truly golden color. And as the clouds parted, the lake calmed to a sheet of glass; everything on the shoreline was reflected in the mirror-like water. It was a magical few minutes, long enough to absorb the colors of a brilliant fall evening and to wish the season would linger much longer before we head into winter.
Details of a door in Brooklyn
While we were in Brooklyn, New York we wandered through Fort Greene Park. The park was first designated over 170 years ago at the suggestion of Walt Whitman. The history of the site dates back to the Revolutionary War when the British held thousands of captives in prison ships in the nearby bay of the East River. Over 11,500 people died from overcrowding, starvation, disease, and bad water while on the ships. The remains of many of these martyrs are entombed in a crypt within Fort Greene Park. Also here is the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument to these people. I was drawn to this door at the base of the monument. It’s weathered look, it’s textures, it ornaments and details all caught my eye. As I studied it closer with my camera I looked through the column and caught the sunlight illuminating the window of the door on the other side. It was eerie and beautiful all at the same time, much like the history behind this site.
lindastaatsphoto.com 