Landscapes
The Great Plain states are home to some of the best landscapes
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Snow for Christmas in Minneapolis
Just in time for Christmas. I ran out and grabbed a few pictures of the snow as it fell. It was sticking nicely on the trees and everything else. This is the Lake Harriet band shell. Very beautiful place in the summer and there are performances almost every day through the summer, but I had it all to myself today. Lake Harriet is part of the Chain of Lakes including Calhoun and Lake of the Isles. I live by Isles, so that's the one I take the most pictures of. Thanks for the well wishes for a safe trip on Saturday. I used up my luck and karma points. About seventy miles north of home I spun out and went in the ditch. Neither my sister or I were hurt and even the Jeep got out unscathed. I did need to be towed out; we ended up at the bottom of a very steep ditch on the edge of a lake, so it was a little unnerving. Several cars all went in at the same time, one went in right ahead of us and everyone hit the brakes, I did too and started fish-tailing. Wild ride going off the highway backwards into the snow in the dark. We decided to hold off going to Chicago on Sunday, opting for this morning. There were dire snow and wind warnings for the length of Wisconsin Sunday and we didn't want to tempt fate. Merry Christmas and may all of you other traveling fools have a safe and boring holiday trip. Remember, turn into the slide. 2
Wintery Mix
Today's forecast for Minneapolis is "wintery mix" — is that a word? Wintery? It sounds so cheerful: Let's gather around the fire to tell fond stories and share some eggnog & wintery mix. In actuality, it's all forms of winter precipitation: snow, sleet and rain. A slushy mess that is almost impossible to drive on — for everyone else, I have a jeep. So I'm dashing off my post for the day before my sister and I head north to Grand Rapids to visit Grandma. Hopefully it will be over the river and through the woods, not through the river and into the woods. So if you don't see a post from me tomorrow, send out the dogs.8
Majestic Pines
Ahh, wide angle trees. This is the True North, what I remember about driving to Grandma & Grandpa's house as a kid — miles and miles of pine trees. It the sun is low enough, the flickering light of the shadows can really make you dizzy. Composition notes: I was playing with the intersecting edges of the the sky/clouds and trees/sky. I set the top edge of the trees at an angle across the frame and the clouds cross it. These angles create interest and move the eye around. When you are working with large compositions, look at the corners and where edges point. By having intersecting lines and strong lines that move across the frame, you can create a more interesting image. Question for y'all: I'm thinking of offering desktop backgrounds of some of my photos, any interest? If so, which are your favorite pictures? No get out there and take some great pictures!8
Northern Morning
Sunday morning on the lake. While I was staying at the Northernaire resort in Three Lakes Wisconsin this weekend, I got up early and headed out on the ice. It was two below and I was on my snowshoes crunching my way across the frozen lake. My tripod slung over my shoulder never felt more like a rifle. The fantasy of being a mountain man in the unsettled old West was fun until my hands started to get really cold. I was up there to take pictures of the resort for the website and other promotional materials. The place was completed this summer and is rather empty right now. If you are looking for a really nice and luxurious place to escape to, they are renting at a discount. It's a great place and a great real right now, but when summer hits, it will book up fast. I'll post some pictures of the place itself later.8
The Cold North Lake
I took this picture Saturday in Northern Wisconsin. It was three degrees above zero and I was on my snowshoes. I wandered the lake and took a few pictures. I was waiting for a dramatic sunset, but all it did was get dark. The best part: I was on a chain of lakes. The water moves under the ice as it flows through the lake systems and makes strange thumping sounds under the ice. Not as fun as hearing it crack when it's really cold (zero is warm up here). The super-cold cracking is absolutely terrifying. Mom: I know, I know, but there were snowmobile tracks on the lake, so it was OK right?3
Quiet Reflections of the Changing Season
Bare trees and matted grasses await their snow cover in the Minnesota River valley. It's nice to get out of the city and see that there are quiet places waiting contemplation. This time of year always draws me out to the woods to watch the changes. The holiday season rushes in and activity picks up to a fevered pitch; everyone racing about shopping and going to parties. It's easy to miss this quiet transition. The man is forecasting snow this weekend so check back and see the most Northern metropolis venture into it's wonderland. It's the time, as Garrison Keillor says, when nature makes a concerted effort to kill you.1