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Tag Archives: winter

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

 

 

Winter to Spring and back to Winter again

March is a month that cannot make up its mind. Of course, there is still lots of snow on the ground at the start but warm days soon begin to shrink it. We go outside and see what shows up after the long winter. Birds return. Spring skiing is grand. Yesterday it was fifty degrees! Farenheit.

Today it is snowing and the wind is blowing. Visibility is lacking. Bare ground is once again covered and I need to go out and shovel snow. I wonder how many times we will go through this cycle before April gets here?

Last week we had spring skiing at its finest!

A large flock of Bohemian Waxwings hawked insects over the Methow River

Today is a different story

Today is a good day to stay inside with a cup of tea and update my website 

Picture Perfect

Today was picture perfect weather for the last day of the hot air balloon get-together in the Methow Valley. Clear cold skies got the balloonists up early and fanning air into their enormous nylon envelopes. Parking lots were full and balloons popped up all over the outskirts of Winthrop. The air conditions must have been perfect as most of the balloons stayed up for a long time and passengers seemed to be enjoying themselves. Everywhere people were photographing the sights with all manner of cameras. The colorful balloons are a wonderful foil to the snow-covered landscapes we’ve had for months now. I think that’s why I enjoy this event so much.

Last night there was a ‘balloon glow’ in downtown Winthrop. The striped balloon is from our local balloon company, Morning Glory Balloon Tours.

Nice moon too.

Balloons in the morning mist

Filling a balloon is a time consuming practice

This balloon had a new pilot and they were trying to land the basket in the river and let the current take them downstream. It’s a delicate balance to keep the balloon inflated and upright and let the water move them along.

That just didn’t look good

Someone else got their balloon in the main channel of the river and set down easily

They had to lift the balloon over the log and still figure out how to get to the other side of the channel

Cameras everywhere

Nope, still not moving downstream

Hmmm, what are they looking at?

Well now they are moving again.

They got down the little riffle

What’s the next obstacle?

More trees to clear

Up, up and away they go!

 

Drones and a Bride and a Hot Air Balloon

Drones and a Bride and a Hot Air Balloon in Winthrop. What a combination!

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with the big balloons. There were some winds, not that we could detect on the ground, that kept most of the hot air balloons stored in their trailers. However, the couple from Oregon was here to get married in a balloon today and Captain Krystal was not going to let them down, so to speak. Keeping the balloon tethered in a church parking lot, the ceremony went on, complete with flying drones doing the wedding photography! The bride was radiant in her long white coat and furry white hat. The groom was dignified in his black stocking hat and Carhart jacket.

Normally when I am doing wedding photography, I am getting paid for my work and it is very pressure-filled. You can see examples of that at Reflected Light. Today was fun to simply be taking snapshots of the happy occasion without worrying about disappointing clients.

The two drones were provided by the Roswell Test Flight Crew.

Here Comes the Bride!

 There were LOTS of cameras!

Thirty feet in the air with a drone hovering closeby, the two exchanged their vows.

I always love the wedding flowers – even fake ones.

The couple did their ‘formal’ portraits inside the balloon envelope!

 Gotta have a dog picture.

 The Radiant Bride!

Winthrop Balloon Round Up – Day One

Lots of colorful hot air balloons dotted the landscape and skies this morning as the Round Up got into full swing. Yesterday we saw two balloons out; today there were more than a dozen! The big parking lot didn’t get fully plowed so balloons were launching from various sites on the edges of town – behind and in front of the Red Apple Market, at the Friendship Church and rumour has it tomorrow they will launch from Town Trailhead too. All for fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post needed a dog, don’t you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe two dogs.

 

This is a drone. Rumour has it that it will be making a video of a wedding to be held in one of the balloon baskets tomorrow! How exciting.