Thursday, February 11, 2010

Winter Sunlight

Three weeks ago I went to visit Frank for a couple of days. It was cold but sunny, and as late afternoon approached, we took a walk along the creek. Below are a few photos from that day. Please remember to click on each of them to enlarge.


The late-day sun seemed to reawaken the vibrant colours of the previous season. Autumn shades remained present on colourful but leafless branches.




Have a look at the brilliant contrast of fire and ice as seen from one of the creek's twisty-turning bends.




Water gently laps over stones at the icy shore to create interesting shapes. I see another (upside down) penguin in the ice.




A couple of craggy faces seem to be in the middle of a heated discussion. Perhaps they should stop arguing and take a look at what's coming at them from across the creek.




See ya later, alligator.



I have a hard time resisting aiming my camera at Queen Anne's Lace. This day was no exception.



I also liked how other dried out weeds and grasses look along the icy shore.





Snow, ice, water and shoreline create natural stripes - alternating shades of warm and cold. A lone set of tracks cut a diagonal path across the snow.





The day's last rays cast a golden light upon this beautiful cedar.





One of the prettiest spots along the shore. A place to bid the creek goodnight.

I'll have more for you in a few days if you'll join me then.

64 comments:

Sueann said...

Oh I will definitely join you. Beautiful and stunning photos!! Love the one you entitled "Fire and Ice".
Hugs
SueAnn

Brian Miller said...

how wonderful. thanks for taking us along on that cool crisp walk...

järnebrand said...

Just beautiful...I loved the photos of Fire and Ice, and the Cedar, too! Nice walk... :)
Also thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving such nice comments. Hugs/ Jo.

nonizamboni said...

Cheers from Minnesota where I'm up to my ears in snow! But your delightful photos of winter beauty really silenced my 'white' anxiety. Nicely done.

Jinksy said...

Imaginative, poetic and beautiful. You never fail to hit the spot. Thank you! :)

Mental P Mama said...

Always a beautiful stroll....

Country Girl said...

Hello from Maryland where we're digging out from almost 3-feet of snow! Morning, Hilary. Love the shot of the grasses 'fire and ice'.

Dawning Inspiration said...

Nice golden light - I bet it was gorgeous to walk in that!

Boozy Tooth said...

Hils... your images are just gorgeous. I love the contrast of the snow and golden landscape. Very unusual. And the Queen Anne's Lace? I'm a devoted fan of it too. It looks so lovely in the snow.

So, how you doin?

Maggie May said...

It is very beautiful, stark, cold. You always take such good photos and the contrasts are magnificent.

Nuts in May

Reasons said...

These are glorious! I especially love that second one. x

Steve Gravano said...

Beautiful as always, but that second image i awesome.

Daryl said...

Warm is how they feel, all that lovely sunlight sort of negates the icy cold of the icicles and water

ellen abbott said...

I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite out of this group. They are all amazing Hilary.

Susie said...

I like how you see faces in the ice and snow...and the alligator just cracks me up!

Zuzana said...

The second one is my favorite. I love the red colour in the contrast to the white of the snow. I have spirea bushes outside my windows, lining the terrace and the branches are naturally red too.
;)
xo
Zuzana

Frank Baron said...

As my guru would say, "It's deja vu all over again!"

This post looks like a replay of my walk yesterday afternoon. (Without the chill.) Good stuff. :)

Anonymous said...

What a fantastic walk on a cold winters day. And I could tell, IT WAS SUNNY! So that' where it has been. Loved the pic of the bendy river.

L. D. said...

Beautiful golden colors and bright red. That is a wonderful place to get such great photos.

Suldog said...

Hilary, I've said this before, but I have no better way of telling you how much I love your art. I would gladly buy a book full of your photos. Getting them for free, in such abundance, is truly a treat.

Dianne said...

late day light is so wonderful
it adds an element of beauty to everything it touches
and then you capture it

the ice alligator is cool

Mage said...

I absolutely love the contrast between the blues and oranges. Stunning stuff.

Clowncar said...

I like the stripe-y one, with the tracks across it.

Well, I like them all, but thaat one caught my eye.

Maria said...

I particularly liked the alternating shades of warmth and cold shots, and the sunlit cedar photo. They are amazing!

Deb said...

Hi ~ I love the captions/titles that you created. Creative. You make photography look so easy but we all know that it is not ! Perfect lighting ~ look forward to seeing more. Take care.

abb said...

Love that red bush. Is it the bark that's bright red? Beautiful photos of a beautiful creek.

Anonymous said...

What an eye for photography you have, Hilary. These are just great. You certainly rebutt the notion that winter is colorless!

~JarieLyn~ said...

Hilary, this really is beautiful scenery. I love the creek in your photos. And I really did see the aligator too, and the craggy faces. What a wonderful walk.

Anonymous said...

Hilary,
Beautiful golden light casting shadows on the huge cedar...
:) The Bach

Lisa (Mountain Photog) said...

Those are beautiful, Hilary! The contrast between the deep, warm colors of the land and the cool tones of the water and ice is terrific.

cheshire wife said...

Water is always interesting and sun and snow always make good photos.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

I wish I had a river I could skate away on...

steviewren said...

The fire and ice photo is simply stunning! Finding faces in ice patterns is fun too.

Karen said...

Yep, Hilary, I will join you. I love the ribs on that cedar, and the fire and ice. I'm getting to see country, I never would otherwise. Thanks

NJ said...

|Beautiful pictures as always! It's been so lovely to see the days get longer.

Hilary said...

• SueAnn, thanks very much. I'm glad you came along. :)

• Brian, thank you. Much appreciated. :)

• Jo, I'm glad you joined me on this walk. Thank you. :)

• Welcome, Nonizamboni, and thanks very much for the kind words. :)

• Jinsky, thank you so much for that. That means a lot to me coming from you. :)

• Thanks, MPM. I'm glad you joined me. :)

• Kate, I know you sure got hit with a load of it this week. You may keep it. ;) Thanks for the always-kind words. :)

• Stacey Dawn.. now I know what SD stands for. It was indeed a wonderful walk. Thanks for joining me. :)

• Alix, thanks very kindly. I'm doin' fine - especially so when your comments are always so sweet. Thanks for that. :)

• Maggie, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoy my photos. :)

• Reasons, thank you kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• Steve, thanks very much. I'm glad you stopped by. :)

• Thanks, Daryl. It might do that visually but trust me, it was COLD out there. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Ellen, thank you so much. You make me smile. :)

• Susie. I'm glad that amuses you. It amused me too. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Zuzana, I'm not surprised that one was your favourite. That photo contains your usual colour palette. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. :)

• Thanks, Frank. I'm glad you think so. And that it was warmer this time around. :)

• Thanks, Moannie. I'm glad you walked along with me. Sorry about monopolizing the sun though. ;)

• Larry, thanks very much. It is a beautiful place - in all seasons. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Suldog, you never fail to make my day with your wonderful words. Thank you so much for that. :)

• Dianne, late day light and the early morning sun - they each add so much. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Maggie, thank you very kindly. I'm glad you like them. :)

• Clowncar, thanks so much. I'm pleased that you do. :)

• Gaelikaa, thank you. I'm glad you could come along for the walk. :)

• Thanks very much, Deb. Your truly kind words are so appreciated. :)

• TSannie, they're very smooth red twigs. I'm not sure what the bush is. I'm not great at knowing stuff like that but if I think of it, come spring, I'll look it up - when I have a leaf to compare. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Sandra, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed my colourful afternoon. :)

• JarieLyn, thanks for joining me. I'm glad you saw the same faces that I did. And thanks for your kind comments. :)

• Bach, that tree is amazing and the sunlight helps prove it. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• MP, thank you kindly. I'm pleased that the colours have touched you. Thanks so much for the visit. :)

• CW, this is quite true. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Elizabeth, I wish I had a river so long, I could teach my feet to fly... :)

• Steviewren, thank you. Face finding missions are indeed fun. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Karen, I'm glad you'll join me out in the country. It's a great place to be, isn't it? :)

• NJ, thank you kindly. It does feel good to see the changes. Spring can't be too far away now. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Fragrant Liar said...

I didn't see a penguin in the floes, but I'm pretty sure Neptune was in there. Gorgeous photos, especially that fire and ice one.

Wendy said...

Beautiful pics. Loved the "layers" of warm and cool. I hadn't thought about it that way.

I saw the penguin - and the alligator and the faces. Fun, isn't it?

Thanks for taking us along on your walk. That is a beautiful creek and a nice spot for pics.

SandyCarlson said...

Oh, these are great. Your alligator made me smile. I photographed one today, but it wasn't a keeper after all. So it's good to meet his relative. Great stuff.

Cloudia said...

SO masterful!


Aloha, Friend


Comfort Spiral

Anonymous said...

Fire and Ice = Gorgeous!
Thank you for helping me to appreciate winter again. I've been feeling a bit bogged down these past few days since blizzard #2 hit in the same week as blizzard #1. We've now broken the all-time record for snowfall in a single winter. Yay, us! ha-ha

Anonymous said...

PS: Suldog is right!

Nancy said...

I always enjoy how you can make any landscape interesting. The fire and ice is so beautiful. You always aim your camera with a special eye to what is there if only you look a little closer.

Kathleen said...

Oh my goodness, Hilary, that light is absolutely amazing. It seems like spring is breaking through? Can that be? We've got mounds of gorgeous, sparkly snow right now in Minnesota.

Dave said...

You have a way with words and see beauty in everthing Hilary. Great! - Dave

Shrinky said...

It is always a delight to view the world through your lens. I love the glow of sun over the cedar tree. Lovely.

Nessa said...

I love all of the uneven lines and textures in your photos. Very beautiful place.

Flash 55 - Priorities

Flash 55 - So Sorry

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Hillary: What a great show. It just shows all the photo opts there are in a small area. What a neat stream to shoot.

Land of shimp said...

Oh Hilary, it looks like you could be a million miles from modern day civilization! Honestly, doesn't it? All of those look like the views indigenous people had.

Maybe you time traveled, camera in hand, and brought back proof of the journey. Sworn to secrecy by a particularly repressive government agency, in charge of keeping all things fun and mystical under their collective hats, you've passed the photos off as a visit to Frank's ;-)

Yup, not enough coffee yet. I always give that part away about myself, don't I? "Look, she's babbling. Low on caffeine, no doubt." "Talking about herself i the third person, too. Not a good sign. Fill 'er up!"

Redbush said...

Gorgeous pictures once again, Hilary! I love how the oranges of the tree and the blues of the ice and snow complement each other! I take a lot of photos of frost on weeds, so especailly enjoyed your icy pictures!

Anonymous said...

Your photos are beautiful! I especially like the huge tree.
Thanks for stopping by my place : )

LadyFi said...

Such wonderful golden light - and captured beautifully. That cedar tree shot takes my breath away.

Display Name said...

Hi Hilary! :)
I love the fire and ice photo! And the arguing craggy faces in the ice is just great! Actually, the way the leaf is and the lighting, your cedar looks as though he's taking a look at you with a big stogey in his mouth!

Angie Ledbetter said...

Gorgeous shots as always, but the tree cast in the fading light is above and beyond!

Louise said...

I am LOVING the lighting in the ones with sun. And you are amazing at identifying ice sculptures!

Hilary said...

• FL, I'd just as happily see Neptune. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Wendy, thank you. I'm glad you could see all of the faces. Much more often than not, they stand out to me only when I'm ready to upload the photos. They're rarely the reason I snap the shot. Thanks for joining me. :)

• Sandy, we must have been hunting the same waters in our respective photographic minds. Thanks for joining me and for your always warm words. :)

• Thank you, Cloudia. :)

• KC, you sure have been hit incredibly hard. We've had very little. That works out because you, at least, like the stuff. I hope that once the shoveling is done, you and your crew have some fun with it. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Nancy, thank you so much for that. It pleases me that you think so. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Kathleen, thank you. I can only hope that spring will break through before too long. I haven't seen too much snow this year, but it's been pretty cold. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks very kindly, Dave. Much appreciated. :)

• Shrinky, thank you for such kind words. They mean a lot to me. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Nessa, thanks very much. I'm glad you're enjoying them. :)

• Fishing Guy, thank you. It's one of my favourite places and time of day. Double bonus. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Shimp, this area does indeed make me feel like I'm far away and long ago. It's so nice to hear the babble of the creek rather than the roar of traffic. Really it's not that far off but the sounds of civilization are quite muffled. Another amazing trip would be the one you take inside your own mind. What a great imagination you have. You can pass it off as an insufficiency of caffeine but I know better. ;) Have another cup. Thanks always for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Leah. And welcome back. :)

• Redbush, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them. With your artist's eye, that means a lot to me. Thanks for the visit. :)

• LadyCat, thanks very kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• Thank you, LadyFi. I love that tree too, and when the late day sun hits it like that, I find it irresistible. Thanks so much for the kind words. :)

• Rainy, leave it to you to find a face in the tree. I actually saw a vague outline drawing of eyes, nose and a smile created by the shadows of the leaves on the left-hand side of the trunk, and wondered if you might comment on that. So cool that you found another. :)

• Angie, thanks so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

• Louise, thank you kindly. I'm having fun at both ends of the camera - in taking the shot, and in seeing what else there is after the fact. I'm glad you stopped by. :)

jdsanc said...

I saw your comment on Elizabeth Bradley's blog and wanted to come check yours out. Great Blog! What a wonderful day to come visit. I'm in the middle of two feet of snow, for the last eight weeks, and I forgot just how pretty it really is.
Thanks!

Kerri Farley said...

It's always a treat to visit Hilary! Lovely shots!!

Unknown said...

I looked and loved these earlier in the week, and then clicked to figure out who Frank was and then clicked to see some of my pics that were similar ... and then I didn't comment.
I loved them... I love walking and seeing.
thanks Hilary.

ds said...

Pure gold! Thanks so much for sharing (I liked, "Fire and Ice" too--now have to find Mr. Frost).

A Woman said...

I loved these, especially the cedar. The texture on the bark, the light, it is wonderful. I can't wait until the rain lifts here so I can go out sketching. Your photography is inspiring.

Hilary said...

• JDC, welcome and thanks very much for the kind words. We've had a very light snow winter so far but icy cold. I'm not complaining about the lack of snow, mind you. Thanks os much for stopping by and I hope you'll return again soon. :)

• Kerri, always happy to see you drop by. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Deb, so have you figured out who Frank is yet? Let me know, if you do. ;) Thanks so much for joining me. :)

• DS, thank you kindly. I'm so glad you liked them. :)

• A Woman, thank you so much for such kind words. I hope your skies clear soon. Thanks for the visit. :)

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Wow, beautiful. Enjoyed the walk.

Hilary said...

Thanks, MJ. I'm glad you joined me. :)