I took some time this morning to photograph at the McNeely Conservatory at Como Park. Their winter flower show is always a welcome breath of bright colors and greenery, helping us get through the cold months of winter and snow. I spent over an hour in the Sunken Garden photographing the pink cyclamen, the blue pansies, and the gold and maroon primroses that were all blooming brightly. And I was joined by many others too as we all were soaking in the promise of spring. As I was leaving the gardens I noticed a collection of orchids that were arranged on a table near the exit. There was nothing special about them, but they caught my eye. The diffused light was coming in at an angle across the hallway, and it appeared to me that the orchids had arranged themselves. Their delicate stems gracefully supported the blossoms that arched upward as well as the blossoms that hung delicately over the edge of one of the pots. Their casual arrangement struck me as a beautiful sight – a pleasant contrast to the planned and orderly display of flowers in the Sunken Garden.
snow
Greeting the morning
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.
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.
Bringing them home
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival is in full swing this weekend. This is the time when we celebrate (and embrace) the cold weather. There are events ranging from parades to ice carving to snow sculpting to hockey games to outdoor beer gardens to Red Bull Crashed Ice and a sleigh and cutter rally too. Although we’ve had some serious cold weather this past week our snowfall has been minimal. But there was enough for the sleighs and horses to be out today. With temperatures right around freezing and a light snow coming down it seemed like I had been transported to a different era. Many of the drivers were dressed in period clothing to match their sleighs or wagons, and the horses seemed to enjoy the open space and the snow as they trotted along. There were one and two-horse sleighs, and a few sleighs pulled by ponies whose feet had to work overtime to cover the same distance as the horses. This driver and his matched team seemed to be reveling in the event and the weather. The image made me think that they had been out for a drive and were now headed back to the comfort and warmth of their respective home and barn.
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