Driving to the cottage for my family's Christmas Saturday we crawled through fog. Soon after arriving I went out to catch how it softened the lake on my digital sensor, which is good because through the day the fog thickened, and the lake disappeared. Warming temps and melting snow made a fairyland - blind and mysterious. When I shot these photos it was raining hard, so my brother Jim loaned me his wide-brimmed hat. That worked so well I think I have to get me one, and another for Mr. Nikon.
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-The next day I was leaning back in the hot tub at home, before the sun rose. The wind was gusting at 50 mph, and I was fearful that a branch might bust and fly onto my head. But none did, and I lay there watching the high treetops sway and bob in the wind.
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The weather has been consistently inconsistent all week - ice, snow, rain, sun, wind, fog, warm, cold. Such is Michigan.
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After two days back on the farm I took a morning walk in the sunny meadow.
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Twelve inches of snow had melted in some places, leaving flattened Timothy grass, goldenrod, leaves and the rest of autumn's scattered bits. The sun shone on, and through, morning hoarfrost.
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A caveman must have used a leaf to paint this cave drawing on a crusty snow canvas. I love it. What an artist!-To me it looks like a mouse that's just eaten a snake.
Oh how pristinely the deer stepped.
Fallen sumac looked like flowers blooming winter petals or stamens.
And a friendly surprise: a wee pocket gopher ran across the path. Then he crouched shivering while I snapped away inches from his curious eyes, poor creature.
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Trees, plants and animals - leaning, watching and flexing under the sky's torrents - show how to tolerate the conditions any new day brings. All that bending and reaching without breaking, like doing Pilates stretches so I don't freeze up with age. Ah, close my eyes, pump the air bicyle with my legs above my head, like a locust or birch tree letting its branches bend in the wind.
60 comments:
Lovely, lovely, lovely. :)
OH, what a wonderful post! I felt like I was right there with you!!
And you are soooo right - it looks so much like a mouse that ate a snake!
But you must know that the water drop takes my breath away! WOW! I adore it!!
We've had a lot of the fog and snow here as well (as well as the wind, which is howling at the moment!).
Oh Ruth, once again you slay me with your beautiful pictorials! You make the smallest things extraordinary and profound. The picture of the gopher was exceptional. Someday, I would love to just walk along with you when you are in search of things to photograph. You see things that I would pass by with blind eyes.
We had the same foggy and warm (68) conditions as you did. Our enclosed porch, which has a 2-foot thick concrete floor with tile, was floating with about a quarter-inch of water. We had to keep mopping it up, so we wouldn't fall and break our necks. Ahhh, glorious, capricious Winter!
Truly incredible Ruth! Thanks for sharing these shots. The lake a the cottage is one of the best shots i have seen. Hope you are finding a way to stay warm!! Enjoy the rest of your winter holiday.
What a walk,what a winter we have had. Your pictures tell the tale.
Just lovely.
Question, for some reason by blog has a flag because of objectionable content?My pictures are not showing up??Do you know how to disable this? thanks
To say the weather has been changeable is an understatement. But, at least, it has helped you find some stunning photographs!
Ruth,
What wonderful pix and accompanying text.
Thanks for sharing.
I must get my camera and get outside more.
I am so happy I found this blog...these photos are so beautiful and inspiring...and the writing that accompanies them is also inspirational...I can't pick out just one that I like the best - it just can't be done - but what a great shot of that gopher! imagine him just sitting there posing! ...I want to go for a walk with you too!
I just love Michigan, what more could you ask for?
Such a cute critter!
He looks very curious about you. Maybe you are the only human he has crossed paths with.
You are forever in his memory!
Noah and I walked in the glorious sunshine early yesterday it was wonderful!!!
The images you painted with your words are breathtaking as are the images you captured with your Nikon sensor. I think this has been the highlight of my day. The final picture of the gopher is a prize winner .
Boo Hoo. Where is all the snow here at the Farm???? I MISS IT! Now that I am here, Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!
OK, now that I've said that, you know that I am thrilled by your lake photos. I missed it this year, I know...the whole cottage experience. But I get to see it through your eyes, so thank you.
I love that the gopher sat still for you and didn't budge. And to think you were then supposed to go stack up on groceries...and we did! That's uncanny, don't you think? Pretty cool!
That little critter is playing possum:) These are such breathtaking shots my friend;) thanks for the pilates stretches....I think I like those better then the rest:) Happy New Year to you Ruth;) xo
Enjoyed the post and the photos but especially the gopher. Beautiful shots and love seeing the thaw and beauty there too!
The opening photographs remind me of the movie Snow Falling on Cedars, which has always been one of my visual favorites.
We had wind gusts of 75 mph around dawn this morning - knocked down the mailbox, tree branches flying across the road.
wow....amazing
i m spell bound!
Rauf...gave me this link
and i would love to see more of you!
Happy New Year
Hi, Morna, yes it was lovely, lovely, lovely. I feel privileged to live with nature out the back door.
Très bonne année 2009 pour vous et votre famille.
I wish you the best for 2009.
So happy to have been allowed to accompany you on this winter walk! Amazed (but not surprised) by all the nice little things that you discover!
Once more, all the best for 2009!
Kerri, I definitely thought of you with that drop shot.
Sanna, the wind has been crazy! After we left the cottage the wind knocked out the power, so everyone just left for home.
Hi, Susan, I would love taking a walk with you out back. I have no doubt you would see many things I don't see.
Hi, Donica! Thank you, it really was beautiful at the lake. Boots was surprised that she could see the ground when she landed, but we got a couple more inches last night, so she was happy.
Hi Cathy, I don't know why that flag would come up. Hmm. And there really isn't any support from Blogger, except the forums.
I hope it's better now.
Thank you, Barry!
Hi Vicki, as long as it isn't too cold. Take care.
Oliag, how nice to have you here. Nature is constantly surprising and inspiring. I have never had an animal just sit like that for me.
Anet, oh good, I'm glad you and Noah got outside. Now I am worried about that poor gopher though. He was shaking - maybe with fear. You know I think I terrified a couple of bluebirds last year. I wonder how we affect these animals.
Thank you so much, Sue.
Boots, the sky heard you, thanks to you we have a few more inches this morning. Yay!
Hi Amy, hey, we could imitate the possums and gophers and not do any Pilates.
What wonderful pics !!
sending you all my warmest wishes for a wonderful New Year
:-)
My warmest thanks for your lovely words on my blog !
I wish you and all your loved ones a happiest year ever !
Somehow I believe, that it will be just , how I wish :)
( Melli is still here ! )
All So Beautiful, Ruth....all those sparkly frost crystals...
and the little droplet of moisture on the end of the branch... says so much... in its quietness
I can almost hear your footsteps as you crunch across the frost...
This gopher is adorable. All of these pictures are stunning.
Happy new Year!
Ruth, fascinating pics. I really loved the ones of the trees with the foggy lake behind them....and the mouse that ate the snake! :) Also, though I'm not a rodent fan I did like you quaint pic of Mr. Pocket Gopher! Thanks for sharing and can't wait to see what 2009 brings to your blog! Happy New Year!
Hello Sandy! Happy New Year. I know how much you love critters, especially birds.
Loring, that is a beautiful movie. So quiet. 75 mph is fierce, I hope you're snuggled in and safe.
Hello Sophie, welcome to sync. You have a beautiful writing voice.
Merci, Deslilas, et pour vous et votre famille aussi!
Happy New Year, Peter! And merci!
Lala, thank you so much. I send you and your cheri lots of wishes for joy and creative energy for 2009.
Sweet Leena, somehow I believe it will be a good year too. I wish you the same. Please give our little girl a biiiiig hug and smooch from her aunty.
Dear Gwen, we are both surrounded by nature. I know how much you love it too.
Thank you, Christina. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Tammy, I know you like the bigger animal variety, hehe. This one was tiny, I've never seen one before. And as Anet suggested, maybe he hasn't seen one of me either.
These are really lovely! Thanks for the tour. Happy New Year!
simply brilliant Ruth, these are more than photographs.
The texture is chilling
Happy new year to you don and children
Thank you, Cloudscome!
Thank you, dear rauf. Wish you could explore Michigan with your cameras.
Oh such lovely photos! I just posted my first attempts with my new camera. Similar to your first two photos :O)
So beautiful, Babs! Don't you love it when Nature gives us gifts like that? I'm interested to know what camera you got.
I love that gopher, and the single, tiny drop of water.
Beautiful photos.
Hi, Anna, thank you. I still can't figure out why the pocket gopher sat there for me. I could have taken even more shots, but I had compassion on him.
Awesome shots Ruth!! That Pocket Gopher is too cute, all the best in 2009.
I hope the pocket gopher will recover, Bob. Enjoy the auroras and blog list fame in 2009.
Wonderful! Bravo! Fab pics. What kind of camera do you have? Nikon what?
Thank you, thank you, Jackee. It's a Nikon D40.
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