Take a rainstorm that makes everything wet, drop the temperature so the rain changes to sleet, the sleet changes to ice, and then drop the temperature more and it snows. And the snow clings to everything – the branches, the oak leaves, the pine trees, the sedges. Our world became a winter wonderland with everything coated with white snow. It was stunning, and it was so easy to appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature in winter.
landscapes
Days of long shadows
These are the days of long shadows. As we get closer to the winter solstice the sun is lower in the sky as the earth tilts. In Minnesota and Wisconsin we are north of the 45th parallel so “our tilt” seems more noticeable. This photo was taken at noon, but my shadow is nowhere close to being right beneath me as it is in the summer. Instead the sun is only 123 degrees above the horizon, elongating my shadow.
This is our winter — longer shadows, shorter days, colder temperatures.
The momentary snowfall
Dawn broke early with a fresh white snowfall. The sun traveled upwards but the dark clouds to the east were moving in. They seemed to curtain off the sunlight and it streamed onto the snow-covered lake. With a sudden gust, the wind blew the resting snow off the tree branches and it cascaded to the ground, backlit by the sun. It was momentary and it was breath taking – all in a split second.
Snow and ice on Como Lake
After a week or more with below freezing temperatures, we reveled in a day of 40 degrees and sunshine. I took advantage of our “heat wave” and went for a long walk that took me through Como Park. As I went past the lake it was wonderful to see the snow and ice patterns. The dark areas in the photograph are clear ice, interrupted by the white snow that had been blown across the lake. There were lots of big cracks going through the surface too. Once we get back to our cold temperatures, the ice will continue to form….all a part of winter in Minnesota.
Raindrops amidst the fading colors
The bright colors of fall have come to an end. The oaks have turned to their deeper rust color and the ground is now littered with faded colors. As I was out raking leaves, a light rain started. On the still lake it provided its punctuation in the water surface. The reflection was beautiful and a reminder to me that even though the bright colors of fall are gone and many of the trees are without their vibrant leaves, there is still an amazing beauty in the world around us.
