Winter Wonderland -- February 28th, 2013

We awoke to a gorgeous sight today. As I drew back the bedroom curtains to look outside, I thought "Wow! What a sight!" The neighborhood trees were covered in snow. My first thought of course was to get out there with a camera.

The conditions were just right to have the snow cling to the trees. We get these conditions a few times each winter if we're lucky, but it only lasts about an hour until the temperature warms a degree or two. This time it was exceptionally beautiful.

The last few times this happened I'd have my morning coffee (usually a couple of cups), then grab the camera, and head out, but by the time I got anywhere scenic most of the snow had already dropped off the trees. So this time I only had a couple sips of my first coffee and headed out... almost awake.

To be sure I didn't miss it completely this time, I took a few shots in the neighborhood before I even got in the car.

From our front doorstep.

Looking across the street from home. The path I so often walk and photograph is behind these trees. It's an old railroad bed. The tracks were removed years ago.

And looking up the street, as one of the neighborhood kids heads off to school.

First, I went down near the lake by the harbour. This is Oshawa Creek just before it enters Lake Ontario.

The next two shots were just to the right of the ones above.

I then headed back to the centre of town. There's an old wooden bridge over the railway tracks on Albert St. As I drove over it I saw this sight so I turned around to find a parking spot to get the shot.

When I got back to the car this cat was huddled on a doorstep.

I then went to Kinsmen Park near town centre. I should have put my lens hood on for this shot but I like a bit of lens flare sometimes... though this is a bit much.

Out for an early morning swim...

This guy looked like he was deep in thought.

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The rest of the shots in this post are from the last week from a couple of outings with friends.

This is at Bond Head, east of Oshawa. My mother-in-law once said to me that she likes the look of trees in winter better than in summer when they're in full leaf. She likes to see the "skeletons and construction of the trees" as she put it. I often think of her remarks when I shoot something like this.

This shot is looking back towards the spot where I took the one above.

At certain spots along the shoreline the mussel shells pile up. I love the variety of colors.

"Ice balls" along the shoreline.

On a friend's farm. They have 100s of acres of corn, including a small patch for feeding the birds.

Some cobs are untouched, others half eaten.

And others are completely stripped. Maybe some are tastier than others.

A buddy was doing the driving the other day when we went to Newcastle to hear a photographer give a talk about shooting Bald Eagles near Lake Superior. That gave me a chance to get these shots on the way home. They have a certain appeal to me.

Going who knows where...

It was great to get the "winter wonderland" shots that I'd missed on so many previous occasions. The opportunity doesn't come very often.

In a perfect world, the skies would have cleared as I was ready to shoot and I'd have had beautiful blue skies to go with the snow covered trees. Maybe next time.

- fini -

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