LOOKING BACK ON JANUARY...6

Yet another sunset showcasing the glow of the retiring sun against the ice laden branches...only this evening the sun was a glowing red ball. With only the smallest portion of the sun left, its' burning color turned the iced branches into treetop cinders. The overall sky changed from a sleepy blue to a dreamy periwinkle. These colors alternated quickly with the fast moving clouds. Fascinating that such a tiny existing portion of the sun could have this effect on an otherwise fairly darkened atmosphere. Once again, true justice of appreciating this sunset could happen if only you were standing there with me. The strong evening breezes had these cinders dancing in the treetops! If you would like a closer look, go ahead and click on the photo to enlarge.

Iced treetops basking in the morning sun

LOOKING BACK ON JANUARY...5

With the trees coated in ice, it created quite a spectacle during this sunset...these photos don't even come close to capturing the shimmery golden lights that danced off the treetops. Click onto the photo to enlarge for better detail. When the breeze moved the branches everything just shimmered!

Just scrub brush here...but the snow created an interesting pattern that I enjoyed.

Call me crazy, but I have a fascination with shadows. The bright sunrise cast long beautiful vertical patterns across the landscape.

Here's part of my "Sacred" tree that had to be chainsawed. There's only a few branches left on my tree outside the kitchen window.

SURVIVING THE ARCTIC BLAST...BLUE JAYS

BRRRRRR!!!!....Here is where I often wonder if we are truly the fittest of all life on this earth. Survival of the fittest...while I am warm and cozy nesting in this cabin, I think of how all the creatures outdoors flex their will to survive with all their strength. Through the series of storms and bitter cold this past week, I have seen the most activity yet this season around my feeder. As I prepare this post, the actual temperature outdoors is -10 degrees. The wind chill factor brings the temperature to -30 degrees!

I have this fascination with viewing a subject up close and personal. I'm not sure why, maybe to be a little closer to the heart and soul. As I was admiring the woods covered in snow on a dreary day, I stood at my back window gazing up the hill behind our cabin. There in front of me, icicles regularly take their form until my husband knocks them down. While I know they can cause damage to the roof, that doesn't stop my love of icicles. They constantly change, and if the sun or moon is in position over the back hill, they glisten all the more. Drip, drip, drip...tempting me, teasing me...hmmm?? Can I catch a drop falling from the icy fingers? After thirty four shots, I finally captured a water drop. My challenge to myself was to NOT use my feature on the camera that will automatically take a succession of shots. I stood there counting seconds between drops in an attempt to meet that challenge. VICTORY!!...now I just let you into the quirky side of me..I know, too much time on my hands!
On the 11th of this month, the night skies over Wishnik Woods were too cloudy to photograph the moon. The night after was another story. This first capture was taken out the same window were I shot the icicles. I had a rough nights' sleep and awoke at 2:20 a.m., there was my old friend waiting for me in the sky.
These next two captures were taken a few hours later at 5:oo a.m. in the same morning....except this time I braved the cold. I took my tripod outdoors and sturdied it in the snow. The atmosphere was very hazy with a good dose of cloud cover. Perhaps that explains the overall softness to these photographs.
Just a sliver shy!

WINTERS' ICY GRIP...

We have felt the cold air and the snow flurries on sparse days of November...

that was until yesterday when winter came barrelling through the woods, his frigid breath pounding on the cabin...then proceeded to properly introduce himself! Howling winds raged through the trees, temperatures dipped in the teens during the night, and big, fluffy snowflakes raced in circles every which way!
He is here, in all his glory...

and from the looks of it, plans to make himself at home!