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Something Cold For A Hot Day
Something to cool you off on a hot summer day. Snow and ice on a seedhead of Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).
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Magic in the COLD
What might look like the edge of a ringed planet in deep space is actually ice in a vernal pool. A White Oak (Quercus alba) leaf frozen in ice. Another White Oak leaf on the surface of the ice. Or are those ripples of that same deep space? And here, a forest of minuscule trees…
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An Escape From The Heat
A glimpse of what winter does for me. Ice with its chilling diamonds. Sparkles so fleeting. Beauty that makes my heart sing. Ice on Yucca (Yucca gloriosa).
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Christmas Fern
A tough fern often spotted on the trails up here in the mountains. Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), one of the most common ferns in eastern North America which is its native range. These are called crosiers, or more commonly, fiddleheads. In them I see movement, dance, music. Certainly grace and beauty. I love it in…
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Flowering Dogwood
The Flowering Dogwood trees (Cornus florida) here in my neck of the woods are just beginning to open as the Eastern Redbud blooms (Cercis canadensis) are on their way into decline. That’s the pattern every year. A slight overlapping of their big show. Like homemade vanilla ice cream with home grown strawberries on top. In…
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Scarlet Tanager and Things to Come
This morning was what seems to be quite the trend. Sleet and freezing rain. That rain turned the landscape into a sparkly fairyland. For me, this winter has become The Winter of Ice and Sleet. And this is no complaint. I’m absolutely loving all the frozen precipitation. All the diamond covered trees. Snow takes me…
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This Wondrous World
Perhaps you’ve noticed. I tend to anthropomophize. A lot. Rocks have thoughts. Trees reach out to greet me. The wind speaks to me. And on this particular evening, in this particular photograph there is a lovely Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). A female enjoying the incredible beauty of the ice storm we had a few days…
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Ice Storm After 4.5 Inches of Snow
No falling today, even though I’m out in The Incredible World of Ice and Snow. Walking in it feels like walking in a landscape filled with ice cubes. But OMG how beautiful. And along with the occasional drip drip drip there’s also the loud sound of snow and ice CRASHING to the glazed forest floor,…
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Mother Nature’s Art
When there is a weather forecast that includes freezing rain or snow or simply freezing temperatures, I’m all set, so is my camera. A vernal pool is a wonderful canvas for great artwork. Freezing temperatures and moisture, a magical mix. Mother Nature has created an ear worm! I’m hearing, “earth below us drifting falling” and…
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American Beech
Hawaiian shave ice. Snow collects in the cone shapes that American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) leaves make during the winter. It reminds me of a trip long ago. A trip to Hawaii to see a total solar eclipse. A trip to be introduced to Hawaiian shave ice, which brings me back to the subject of my…