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Tag Archives: ice

Cold and Clear

The last few days have been full of contrasts – brilliantly sunny skies paired with temperatures in the single digits, if not below zero. There has been no time for standing around enjoying the views. Walks are brisk; ski trips are purely aerobic. Little birds have swarmed the feeders while the Sharp-shinned Hawk keeps an eye out for the slow ones. The dark night skies are full of more stars than you can even imagine, however as cold as it is, it’s hard to do much star gazing.

 

One day a light wind filled in the trail with compacted snow.

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There’s something about this line that I really like.

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Hard to imagine how cold it is in this picture.

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Those are the sledding trails from New Years!

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I tried digi-scoping with my little camera on my scope. There’s a real knack to getting it right.

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Long shadows on a sunny day

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Pine needles stuck in the snow

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Luna got a little hoar frost on her muzzle

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Interesting ice form on the deck railing

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Frosty Morning Walk

Luna and I walked at the Twisp Ponds this morning. She is still recovering from her unfortunate incident on Sunday so I am trying to keep her calm and it is not always easy. The leash helps but then I was also carrying binoculars and my big camera in addition to making a few shots with my phone. It was a bit of a juggling act. Luna needs to recuperate for one to two weeks before she can get back to being Luna again. It will be a challenge. Rimadyl helps.

Cottonwoods reflected in an opening in the ice

 

Grasses frozen in time

 

Frosty leaves on a bridge in black and white

 

and color

 

Whose nest?

 

The only bird I saw this morning. I heard crows in the distance

 

Remains of a bird

 

Frosty oregon grape in black and white

 

and vivid color

 

Remains of a paper wasp nest. Where do they go in the cold months?

 

Ice near the bridge

 

Patterns

After the storm yesterday, this morning is glorious with sunshine and the promise of spring. I took my macro lens out for the morning walk and in retrospect I should have also taken a tripod and waterproof pants (for kneeling in snow and ice and puddles). There were patterns everywhere I looked. In the pine bark. Pine needles. In the ice and snow. In the frozen puddles. In the branches, leaves and unearthed roots. So much to see. After yesterday’s long struggle with SEO and finally coming to the conclusion that it’s a battle I am destined to lose, it was a relief to do what I really enjoy – make images of the patterns of everyday life – My Everyday Photos.

 

Lichen

Dried grasses

 

Serviceberry leaf

 

Dry grass

 

Bitterbrush bursting into bud

 

Another serviceberry leaf

 

Pine bark scarred by what? Maybe a deer rubbing its antlers

 

Buds from the ponderosa pines

 

 

Even our ice-covered driveway has a nice pattern

 

Pine needles embedded in the ice

 

Tiny icebergs

 

A plant unearthed by the snow plow last night

 

Tiny green shoots of grass

 

Interesting miniature ice sculpture

 

Now this is a puddle

 

 

An ice amoeba?

 

 

Tiny fracture lines in the ice

 

 

This Week on the Community Trail

The freezing rain that coated the soft snow with a hard crust gave the trail groomers something good to work with. The ski trails had been soft and slow with all the new, cold, dry and powdery snow last week – good for classic skiing. The last couple days, they trails have been faster and more fun for skate skiing.

 

A thin layer of fog hugged the lowest trees as the sunlight climbed up the hillside

 

Ice coated everything, even the fence wire

Skate skiers

Great morning on the MVSTA Community Trail

In and Out of the Fog

Freezing rain fell on our fluffy snow leaving a crust of ice behind. It also produced fog in the morning which quickly burned off to reveal more bluebird blue skies. The dog walk went from sunshine to fog to sunshine and more fog til it was just sunny and the fog retreated farther down valley. I heard that Twisp mostly stayed in the fog. Sorry Twisp.

A dried yarrow flower coated with ice

Luna, walking towards Shelley’s house

Sam thinks maybe she doesn’t want to walk to Shelley’s house.

It seems so far from here

Who walked here? A mouse? A vole?

Ice coated leaves

and branches

The neighbor’s driveway. They don’t come here in the winter.

Kelly emerges from the fog

And Luna. Think the tortoise and the hare.

Sam’s foot is turning white. As if it too was covered in ice or hoar frost.