January 13, 2012

It’s winter and I’m OK with that

Most winters about this time, you’d find me complaining about the weather. But the truth is, I’d miss the snow if it passed us by completely. On Thursday, we had our first snowstorm of the season and it left us with a bright, crystalline covering of frosting on the landscape. Luckily, I’d decided to telecommute and I took a short break to check out the scene.

It had me feeling like a kid again…photographing leaves under snow and leaf impressions left by the snow.







Capturing backyard scenes with no snow blowing across the field of vision, and the same scenes with feathery snowflakes in the foreground.





Snapping shots of blowing flakes at various focal depths.






When I was a young adult, I spent a fabulous summer in Southern California. Guess what solicited the greatest feelings of homesickness? Get ready to snicker…

Watching the snowy movie, “Jeremiah Johnson” by myself on a hot summer day! It wasn’t even winter, but just the idea of spending a winter without snow had me hankering for the Midwest! I’ve never experienced a winter without snow. It just wouldn’t be right!

38 comments:

  1. Beth I feel the same way. We got the storm yesterday and it hit big with lake effect snow all day and into the night. Well over a foot of snow..can't wait to get out Saturday morning to capture the gorgeous effects on the landscape. I unfortunately had to drive in to work on Friday in the dark with the snow so thick you couldn't see the road. 1.5 hrs ea way when it snows...no delays at all either...gosh we are a hardy bunch here.

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    1. Donna: Glad to hear you made it safely to and from work! You are right that we are hardy, although having an easy winter so far has made me a little lazy. ;-) You guys get the serious amounts of snow with the lake effect! I'll look forward to seeing your photos!

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  2. Glad to see you got some proper winter weather. We've had a cold snap for a few days and I think if it is going to be this cold we might as well have snow to make it look pretty. The birds have been busy at the feeders.

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    1. Yes, I totally agree! As long as it's going to be cold, you might as well have snow. I'm a firm believer that temps in the 30s with humidity or rain are much harder on the human body than a dry atmosphere, temps in the 20s, and sunshine! It's a beautiful day here today with the sun bouncing off the new snow. Now, in about a month I'll be ready to head south! :)

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  3. Your leave photos are beautiful. I would group them as framed art. I too was in southern Cal for a summer before moving onto a winter skiing in Utah. I thought your movie story cute and could relate. I could not wait to leave California for Utah.

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    1. Thank you, Donna! I think I'll do that. Thanks for the compliment and the suggestion! Glad to hear you had a similar experience. It's funny: I love California, but I would miss the dramatic change of seasons!

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  4. Oh, I totally agree, Beth! After last winter, I didn't think I would want to ever see snow again. But it just hasn't seemed right this year until the snow and the cold finally hit us this week. Everything just looks so fresh and pristine under a blanket of white. Of course, by February I'll be ready for it to leave:) Love your frosted leaves!

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    1. Isn't it lovely with the white snow coating everything! I sure was tired of brown and gray. And the snow makes the green of the evergreens just pop! And, yes, I'll be ready for it to end in February, too, but the shorter winter is A Lot easier!

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  5. Beautiful photos Beth! I've been in Texas more than 30 years, but I grew up in Massachusetts. I don't miss the length of the winters, but I have been feeling very nostalgic about the changing seasons, and yes, even snow. There is something not right about a climate where it goes from ridiculously hot, to mild, then ridiculously hot again :/ One of the reasons we are building a home in Michigan. I can completely relate to your feelings about the snow. It just wouldn't seem right to have a winter in Wisconsin without it. Great post :)

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    1. Thank you, Diane! During most winters I'd prefer to be in Texas for a good portion of it. But this year with the delayed winter weather, I'm actually enjoying it (never thought I'd say that). You will have the best of both worlds with a home in Michigan and a home in Texas! Can't wait to see your posts from the Midwest (and of course I always love to hear about your adventures in Texas, too)!

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  6. I have mixed feelings about the white stuff. It's pretty and romantic for a day, but then I'm done with it. It's just too cold! But the snow sure does give some great photo ops, I'll give you that. Fun pictures :-)

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    1. Yeah, you're right, Toni. Especially when we start to see the subzero temperatures. I'm hoping we won't have much of that this winter. And about a month (or even a week) of snowy weather would be enough for me. ;-) Thanks!

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  7. Oh, it's so pretty! But, I'm happy without it most winters. Guess it just depends on what you get used to.

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    1. I agree, Holley! I could probably get used to winter without snow and cold! Then I could just take a quick trip to a snowy place each year to get a taste of it. When it drags on for months, I do get very sick of it. I wouldn't be sad if this snow melted in a couple of weeks!

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  8. I grew up in CA but love snow. Northern CA gets a lot of snow in the Sierras as well in the mountains of SoCal and I looked forward to trips to Tahoe when I was a kid. We've had one teensy storm but I'm hoping there's more on the way. I love your leaf pix! Great idea! :o)

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    1. That settles it--I'll move to S. Calif. and spend winter weekends in Tahoe! The older I get, the less I enjoy the bitter cold. The snow I would miss, but not the cold!

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  9. I grew up in Norway, and spent my childhood in northern Norway where you can get down to below minus 40 C. That’s pretty cold! Before moving to London I lived in southern Norway, in a mountain area where we had really cold winters and very hot summers, the range was from minus 37 to plus 38 Celsius! After moving to London age 35 I was so pleased that I would never have to shovel snow ever in my life, and I don’t miss the snow at all! But it often feels colder here in London when it is minus 2 than when it was minus 15 in Norway, completely different air and humidity.

    Your photos were lovely, reminded me of a proper winter, but I still don’t miss it :-)

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    1. Brrr...bitter cold is awful! Unless you don't have to go outside. But then you get cabin fever. So your choice to move to London makes sense. Plus, you do occasionally get snow there, right? Shoveling snow is not fun! Fortunately we got a heavy-duty snowblower this year which should make the winter a lot easier!

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  10. Oh Beth, I really envy your snowy winters! Here in Venice we can hardly see 2 or 3 short snowfalls during the season, that usually turn into rain after a few hours... Too bad! :(
    Luckily we have the Alps at a short distance (1-2 hours by car), where we can find lots of snow whenever we want.
    Your today's photos are wonderful!

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    1. Thanks, Dona! To me, you have the perfect situation--nice weather most of the year and snow-covered mountains nearby. Cold rain is really a drag, though. We usually get that in March and April.

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  11. What a great post! Love the snow-covered leaves :)

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca! I need to get out and take some more winter photos. But it's too cold to be a fun activity. Maybe when it warms up a bit next weekend.

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  12. We seemed to have had all our snow in ...wait for it...October. Yes right before Halloween but the winter is but a baby so perhaps there will be some soon. Just a bit as you say for that true 'weather' feeling.

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    1. Yes, I remember that crazy autumn storm out East. Unfortunately, here in my neighborhood we have many more weeks of winter left. One month of the stuff would be OK with me. I'm guessing I'll probably be a snowbird when I retire.

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  13. I love your creative photos! Yes, it is winter, and I wish we'd have some snow. There is a chance today, but only for an inch or less. I don't know if I would miss it if I lived in a warmer place, though. I just want winter weather in winter, and not in spring.

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    1. Thanks, Sue. Amen about not wanting winter weather in spring. That's pretty much what happened to us last year. March and April were about identical. I'm hoping we'll have a pleasant, flowery April this year. And I hope you get a pretty dusting of snow in January. :)

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  14. Love, love, love those leaf shots! So happy you got some snow to play in...hoping we don't - lol!

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    1. Thanks, Cat! It's weird what a childlike attitude can do to a person. ;-) I guess I put on my kid hat when I saw all the snow falling and how it changed the landscape. It's melting fast today, and I'm OK with that, too.

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  15. All we have had is a dusting, and I am really missing the snow of the last two years (which I never complained about :-)).

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    1. You are living in the right place for you, Carolyn! I hope you get a little more snow if that is what you want. Now that I've had my taste, I wouldn't mind if it all melted. ;-)

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  16. Wonderful photos! We had six inches this past weekend, but today it was 40 again... though more snow is to come Wednesday. Very odd indeed. I have been looking forward to "snow" activities in and around our home, but I am a but afraid that it is going to stay until May with such a late start!... I know, no use borrowing trouble for tomorrow. :) Happy winter to you! Julie

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    1. Happy Winter, Julie! I'm hoping the winter will be short and sweet--just long enough for us to enjoy the quiet beauty and a few days of sledding and skiing. It's always a drag to have snow in April.

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  17. You are so lucky, no snow here this year and I miss it a lot, we had couple of very sunny and cold days, but the rest is grey and quite mld for the season. I love the movie Jeremiah Johnson!! I wish a real snow storm!

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    1. I hope you'll have a little bit of snow this winter since you enjoy it! I think if I didn't have to go outside and off to work every day I would enjoy it more. It sure is beautiful to look at from inside a warm house. :)

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  18. I am mesmerized by those leaves in snow...so beautiful! We usually have some snow, but we do not have snow for the full span of winter. However, this year snow has been somewhat scarce. Snow makes me happy as it does you, and I hope we get some soon.

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    1. Thanks! I enjoyed the mild December, but it's nice to have a touch of winter to brighten everything up. More snow is forecast for this week. I need to get out my skis and snowshoes!

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  19. Such pretty snow and leaf pictures! I do really miss having snow over Christmas!

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    1. Thanks, Indie! We didn't have snow for Christmas, either. Weird. Just a little dusting here and there. So when we started getting more snow in January it was kind of nice. Now I'm ready for it to melt again. ;-)

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