We knew it was coming; it was even later than usual this year. But winter’s arrival is always a shock, especially when the temperature drops 30 degrees in one day, the wind blows and gusts, and the rain turns to snow. For less than 48 hours we have been below freezing. The snow fell Friday afternoon and evening, and here in the Twin Cities we have less than an inch on the ground. But the white was evident on the plants and grass, and the cold was enough to put a layer of ice on the water in the Ordway Japanese Garden at Como Park. One tree bravely held on to its bright red leaves – the only real spark of color in the now-winter landscape. In this beautiful quiet this morning, the only sound was the waterfall that was continuing to gurgle and the geese whose flight south to open water took on a new sense of urgency.
snow
Spring’s attempt is foiled again
Spring is not known for its consistency. After tulips had broken through the ground, ice has been off the lakes, and everyone’s thoughts were turning to warmer temperatures, we got a slap of snow. The temperatures dropped, the winds picked up, and winter came sweeping back into Minnesota. I headed out before dawn to the Como Golf Course. The white dusting left some wonderful patterns and allowed the shapes of the trees to stand out in the landscape. It was still dark enough that the street lights around the lake were lit and glowed a beautiful golden yellow to contrast with the white landscape. And on the green, the red flag fluttered in defiance of the winter weather. Undettered, spring will try again this week to get its foothold on our landscape.
A perfect snowfall
Friday morning we awoke to a fresh snowfall. The dingy remnants of the earlier snow were whitened, the snow that fell overnight lay coating the trees, the wind was still, and the temperature was hovering around freezing – all the elements of a perfect snowfall. As I headed out the door to work, I made a “scheduled” detour to Como Park and the McNeely Conservatory. The lights inside the conservatory gave off a warm glow to the glass in contrast to the blue and white of the snow. And the snow-covered trees were sentinels of the beauty of this winter morning. In the stillness and beauty of the early morning it was just me photographing, and the snowplow driver clearing the roads and paths in the park.
Winter lines
Yesterday was a blue-sky winter day with mild temps but a strong wind. With plenty of sunshine I wanted to get out to enjoy the weather before the temperatures plummeted to below zero. A little before sunset I went to one of the area golf courses to get some exercise. As the sun was sinking in the western sky, the shadow lines grew long and longer across the unbroken snow. They seemed to stretch much further than the height of the trees, reaching as far to the east as possible. Winter is the prime season of beautiful, low-in-the-sky light, accentuated even more at daybreak and sunset.
Sometimes it’s the light
The weather was cold yesterday – barely up to zero with a biting north wind of 20+ mph. With those conditions I chose to work inside for the day. I walked past the south window several times, looking at the patterns in the snow as they changed throughout the day. Eventually they called me outside to photograph. The sun is still relatively low in the sky, making for some wonderful lines as it slid through the fence and threw its light on our meager snow. There were bits of leaves and tree debris that danced across the pattern, and a rabbit had made its way across the yard and its footprints slashed through the light and the dark. Sometimes it’s the light that pulls the scene together and tells the story.
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