While archive mining today, I came across this undeveloped photograph from New Year’s Day in 2008. It is difficult to remember the specifics of that day, but the photo does offer some strong hints as to what drew me outside. It is what I refer to as “sticky snow.” We don’t get it that often here in Michigan, but it is the best kind for offering up photogenic winter woodland scenes. Even those that normally don’t like to go out for a walk in winter might find it irresistible.
Unfortunately, It’s been much too cold this January to offer up this kind of gift. While we finally did get some snow, it is more of the “potato flake” kind you see in movies vs. the kind that sticks to trees. Easier to shovel, but not the best for creating woodland scenics.
Go and sit in a grove or woods, with one or more of those voiceless companions, and read the foregoing, and think. One lesson from affiliating a tree — perhaps the greatest moral lesson anyhow from earth, rocks, animals, is that same lesson of inherency, of what is, without the least regard to what the looker on (the critic) supposes or says, or whether he likes or dislikes.
~ Walt Whitman, Speciman Days, c.1884
Of course, in the spirit of Whitman’s quote, any snow is welcomed by the watershed and the surrounding ecosystem regardless of aesthetics. It is difficult to imagine a winter in Michigan without it.
We’re very familiar with sticky snow here in the past, but there hasn’t been a good one recently. Beautiful photo; I’m glad you ‘recovered’ it after all these years!
Thanks Earl, archive mining does have some merits at times.
Beautiful photo Mark. Love the juxtaposition of the snow with the water. Was in the negative temps here today.
It certainly takes a bit of extra ambition when those temps go negative, no matter how prepared you are eh?
You bet it does 🙂
Lovely photo, Mark, and your comments are wise. I didn’t know “sticky snow” was that unusual where youare. Those just-below-freezing, moist snowfalls are beautiful but you’re right, it’s all good!
It’s been bitter cold here this month. Great for ice formation, not so great for sticky snow. LOL.
What a superb quote for me this morning. That’s one of the gifts I receive from reading blogs. We have one of those sticky snows falling now. Roads quickly become slick and dangerous. It is lovely to watch it quietly transform the landscape. While younger ones make snowmen and challenge one another in a snowball event. I do remember those times. The lesson nature offers me again and again is to just observe, take it in, enjoy, let it work on something inside me.
Stay warm as it has been very cold for you up there!!
Always happy to provide the enjoyment, Monte! Hopefully, the snow *sticks* around for a while for you. It seems to melt off the trees after a few hours here at least. Yes, it has been a bit bone-chilling here.