snow

Fishing at sunset

lindastaatsphoto2 Comments

Sunset fishing 70667_StaatsOur Minnesota landscape has become much more winter-like.  Temperatures have remained below freezing for the past 10 days, allowing the lakes to freeze.  And with that the ice houses have started to go up and people are active once again around the lakes.  As I drove past this lake the other night, there was a very fine snow that was falling.  It was so delicate as to cause the sun to glow as it was starting to set below the cloudbank to the west.  In its own way it seemed to be announcing that all was right with the winter world in Minnesota.

Wherever you are as the calendar turns into the new year, I wish you joy and wonder, happiness and health in 2013.  Thanks to all of you that have been following my blog, and I hope you will continue to share in my weekly writings, photographs, and adventures.  Happy new year!

A different way of seeing in the snow

lindastaatsphoto6 Comments

Snow tracks & light pole 70564_StaatsOne of the pluses to photographing in the snow is it allows you to see things in a much different way.  My primary photographic influence is color – the hues, the saturations, the play of one color off another.  But when the landscape is covered in snow I find my eyes “see” differently.  The abstract becomes much more visual for me.  I was especially caught by this scene.  Here was a light post by the side of a street.  The street had tire tracks in the snow creating the horizontal patterns.  The light pole was the vertical cross-pattern to the tire tracks.  But then there was this wonderful swirl and curve that was created by the blowing snow all around the base of the light post.  All the visuals seemed to play off each other in what would normally be a rather nondescript scene.

Winter’s arrival

lindastaatsphoto5 Comments

Winter dining 70480_StaatsWinter has arrived, in all her glory.  It started snowing during the night and has continued all day.  From a dusting, to a few inches, to piles, it’s still continuing to fall and grace our landscape.  I ventured out this morning when we had about three to four inches.  The landscape was beautiful with the snow outlining the trees and structures.  Everything was graced in a beautiful white coat.  I went to the horticulture garden on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.  In the spring and summer it’s filled with the bright and bold colors of flowers, blooming shrubs, and vegetables.  There are small tables and chairs that invite people to stop and linger and to enjoy the surroundings.  Today I had the garden to myself, however the tables and chairs still seemed to be calling for people to pause and marvel at the beauty in the garden. Although not the summer colors, I was pleased to find the red berries and twigs, the golds of the grasses, the greens in the shrubs, and the dark textures of the trees – all a welcome contrast to the white coating of snow.

Early winter moonset

lindastaatsphoto4 Comments

Early winter moonset 70201_StaatsOur weather has been cooler since Thanksgiving when we had a bit of snowfall.  The consistent cold temps have allowed ice to form on our lakes and ponds.  With the promise of a crisp and clear morning I headed to the nearby golf course, not knowing what to expect.  What I found was a beautiful dawn with pink skies, a full moon that was slowly making its journey to the horizon line, a frozen pond without snow cover that provided a beautiful soft reflection to the trees, and a wonderful stillness and peace that prevailed in the early hours.  The warning signs for “Thin Ice” have already been placed, and some of the ducks and geese are being forced to larger lakes as they search for open water.  Slowly we are moving into winter.