After an evening and night of snow this past week, the following morning promised a dawn of sunshine and a brilliant blue sky. I headed out the door to begin my day at Como Park. As I walked into the park I was joined by a cross-country skier who said that the snow was going to be perfect for his outing. With different agendas we parted and went our own ways. The sun rose over the white landscape and brought a beautiful contrast to the scene. The night’s snow had clung to all the trees and they sparkled in the sunlight, especially with the bluest of skies all around. It was a delightful way to start the cold morning — surrounded by the beauty of winter, the promise of bright sunshine, and some morning exercise of tramping in the snow and photographing.
landscapes
A winter’s dawn
The past week was cold and wintry. It seemed that we had a clipper blow through every day, dropping a couple of inches of snow, then moving on. That meant daily shoveling (oh yeah!) and lots of overcast days with gray skies. But one morning I woke up, looked to the east, and thought there might be some clearing skies and a beautiful sunrise. I quickly dressed, covered up in multiple layers, and ventured out into the cold early dawn to Como Park. Best part was that I wasn’t disappointed. The thin layer of clouds to the east allowed the sun to reflect its brilliant colors onto the sky and it became of palette of beautiful hues. As quickly as the colors of the dawn reached its crescendo, it likewise disappeared to the brightness of a sunny day, all reflected in the snow covering the ground.
Two exhibits in the Twin Cities area
I’m very happy to tell you about two exhibits that I have in the Twin Cities area. The first is part of a group exhibit at Hudson Hospital in Hudson, Wisconsin. My collection of photographs is titled “My Midwest.” This group of images, including the first photograph above from the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, represent the beauty and diversity that I have found while living in the Midwest. There will be an artists reception at Hudson Hospital this Friday, February 8th from 6:00 to 8:00pm. You are welcome to come see my work as well as the work of other artists. My photographs will be at Hudson Hospital through March 17, 2013.
The second exhibit is at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Minnesota. This collection of images is titled “florabundant” and includes the lower photograph of a gaillardia. These images all celebrate the color, radiance, and wonder that exists in the floral universe. In contract to our winter landscape which is presently covered in white and devoid of any other colors right now, this collection is filled with the hues and brightness of spring, summer, autumn, and the whites of winter too. This exhibit runs through the month of February.
Morning frost
I looked out the window this morning and saw crystal-like snowflakes dancing in the sunlight. They sparkled and glistened as they drifted to the ground. It reminded me of this image from the past week. Our nights have been cold, and the other morning I went out to my car to go to work; insert key, start engine, and wait for the car to warm up. But as I sat in the driver’s seat I looked out the front windshield and “saw” the most beautiful sight. The morning’s frost had settled on the glass, and as the light of the day (and the street lamp) shined through the window it was all refracted through the crystals of frost. The trees became abstract and a beautiful mosaic was created with the light and the early morning colors of the sky.
Savoring the winter sunset
Minnesotans are happy that we are having a winter! The temperatures have remained below freezing and we couldn’t be happier! Yes, it may sound strange to those living in warmer and more temperate climates that we’re glad it’s cold, but with this more “normal” winter weather we can get out and enjoy the activities that make winter memorable. The neighborhood ice rinks have hockey games at night, the skating rinks are filled with graceful skaters and those that aspire to their grace. The golf courses are filled with cross-country skiers and snowshoers, and our lakes are open for fishing again. All it takes is a trip out onto the ice, either on foot or by car or truck (if the ice is thick enough), something to drill a hole in the ice, a line to drop through the hole, and the patience and luck to be successful. And last night there was a plethora of hopeful people outside ice fishing on a nearby lake. It also helped that there was a winter sunset that put on a beautiful display, as if beckoning us out to savor the winter weather and this sunset.
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