I love the simplicity of our winter landscape. The white snow clears the distractions and leaves a clean canvas. As I was out for a walk one day I found these plants above the snow. With the sun behind them and their shadows splayed out over the white snow, it appeared they were dancing with their shadows. Similar to a water surface reflection, however the white brings everything down to the basics. Just like in the cold of winter, we look to the basics of warmth, protection from the cold and wind, and the optimism that spring will be on our doorstep eventually.
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Free air in a winter landscape
After a “brown” Christmas with many Minnesotans grumbling about the lack of white, we awoke to a 6-inch snow on Saturday morning. The landscape was once again white and clean. I was wandering around the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota and found these bicycles and “Free Air.” The snow had piled up precariously on top of the handlebars, tires, and bicycle seats – almost like frosting on a cake. The colors of the bikes and the chains added a bright contrast to the white and brown scenery all around. With the forecast of colder temperatures I doubt this snow will be melting anytime soon.
Fog and stillness at Como Park
The cold and crisp of winter moderated the past two days with temperatures in the 40’s. With our layer of snow and cold temperatures on the ground we awoke this morning to a beautiful landscape of fog. The stillness of early morning and the fog’s softening effect made the landscape magical. Everything stood quietly as the fog moved in and out, becoming thicker and then lessening to a thin veil. I was at the McNeely Conservatory at Como Park this morning, where the thin ice of the Frog Pond allowed the fog to form above it in a narrow band, still leaving the dome of the conservatory visible above.
Store-bought spring
Spring has been hard-to-come-by in Minnesota. Although we’ve had some warmer temperatures they seem to be interrupted with cold fronts and more snow. Desperate for spring, I decided that even store-bought color would count. Yellow and green are the colors that represent the hope and promise of spring, and these lovely yellow tulips were calling to me at the store. With some sunshine and temps in the 40’s, I took my spring bouquet outside to photograph. A little bit of filtered sunshine seemed to bring them to life. What you don’t see in this image is the white snow that still covers the ground in places. But I can look at this image and focus on the promise of spring to come.
Sentinels to winter
Winter made a comeback this week with a snowfall in the early morning hours. Fighting the slow traffic with the other commuters, I decided to get off the highway and visit a small local arboretum in Roseville – Central Park. I waited to park the car as the snow plow operator made his carefully practiced swipes of the lot, clearing the area in short time. I then had the quiet and the stillness of the park to myself. The landscape was white in all directions until I walked past a grouping of paper birch trees. Their peeling bit of color provided a contrast to all the snow. The birches and the small twigs seemed to be sentinels of winter with their watch over the cold and snow. In the distance I heard a single Canada goose honking as he took to the air, and somewhere a cardinal was welcoming the day. I then heard something I couldn’t recognize. Turning around I saw a cyclist winding his way down the path, leaving a single line of tire tracks in the fresh snow.
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