For a photographer living in a gray, winter climate, a sunny day is cause for excitement. Monday afternoon’s sunshine and bright haze made me drop everything and head outdoors. For nearly three hours, I sucked in the shadows and colors of the wintry landscapes. More to come.
On my last photoshoot before the snows came, I visited several wetlands to take pictures of cattails and milkweed, which were blowing open and spreading their seeds for next season. I couldn’t help but think of all the Monarch butterflies who will benefit when they return from their winter migration.
I’ll admit it. I hated to see the leaves go along with the fall color. But with the leaves gone, the landscape opened up. The bones of the trees show. Lakes behind the woods appear. I most enjoy seeing birds that become visible. I can now spot a hawk hunting from a tree top a quarter mile away. Sometimes, I get really lucky, like last Tuesday, when I saw this bald eagle perched high in a beech tree. There’s always something to see in nature, even when the world goes brown.
Even in these challenging times, there is much to be grateful for. Be safe out there.
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I woke up at 4:30, and that was the end of sleep for me. The weather report showed a mix of clouds and sun, so I headed to Sunrise Peace Park in Traverse City. On the way, the Eastern sky was a fiery orange, and I was excited about the promise of a spectacular sunrise. By the time I arrived, incoming clouds had quieted the sky substantially, and I was lucky to even find the sun. Still, I enjoyed the peace of the morning along East Bay.
My friend Don Burton and I visited one of his favorite spots to take pictures. Shalda Creek runs into Lake Michigan south of Good Harbor. This is another hidden gem within Sleeping Bear Dunes, offering beautiful water views and few people. But the big show was up the road at the bridge, where salmon were spawning in large numbers. Their top fins sticking out of the water reminded me of the movie Jaws.
Most of the fall color is gone, except for the golden brown oak trees. Outside Northport, there’s a stand of Northern Red Oaks that is so large it appears to be one tree from a distance. Driving closer, I found 13 distinct trees, all displaying their stately bodies.
Yesterday, Gracie, my mini-goldendoodle, spent her birthday doing the things she enjoys most: playing with her new indoor Chuckit fetch toy, chewing a rawhide bone, and chasing balls around her fenced backyard. Another day to be grateful for.
Before the weekend snow arrived, it was the perfect time to visit Sleeping Bear’s Mill Pond with most of the visitors gone and the bird migration underway. I pulled up to the edge of the pond and immediately flushed a Great Blue Heron. Luckily, it didn’t go far, and I got some pictures of it in flight and fishing on the flats.
