• Avian,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    How do they do that?

    February 6, 2022

    Well, since you asked, here are some interesting facts for you about Canada Geese. Geese on the ice may be resting or preparing to move on to un-frozen bodies of water when need be. Huddling their bodies together on the ice of a shallow pond can cause it to warm up, especially along the edges, and increase their food supply, so sleeping on the ice can merely be a step towards thawing it out.

    Their bodies are built to stay warm. They have insulated underbellies, and enough feathers, generally between 20,000 and 25,000, to keep their upper body temperature around 104°F (40°C). (Goose down has long been considered the warmest filling for things such as jackets and sleeping bags.)

    Geese also have an interesting type of circulation through their feet that transfers warm blood back up into their bodies. Since their feet can’t freeze, they often sleep with them tucked underneath their bodies. This heat-transference phenomenon is one of the reasons why sometimes you’ll see them standing on one foot with the other tucked up under the belly, especially when the ground is frozen. 1Courtesy of Google.

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  • haiku,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  quotes,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes,  writing/reading

    To See With All of Them

    February 4, 2022

    “I began to realize that the camera sees the world differently than the human eye and that sometimes those differences can make a photograph more powerful than what you actually observed.”

    Galen Rowell

    This is another image from yesterday morning at Pineridge Natural Area. It was not as cold this morning at -2 degrees as it was yesterday. Sun is also radiant against the blue sky today. I put on a pot of Chicken Tortilla soup and let it cook for about six hours. I love how the condo smells when I cook soup. It is a good day for soup.

    As some of you know I have played around with writing haiku and sharing it on my blog. I began to look at haiku because of the suggestion of a good friend. I knew nothing about it nor had I read any of it. My understanding is that a haiku is a language of creation, a way to re-create the essence of a moment and allow it to touch our hearts anew. 1Haiku-The Sacred Art: (The Art of Spiritual Living) by Margaret D. McGee. When the pandemic began I spent more time in nature, had those moments that touched my heart and tried to capture them with haiku as well as my camera. It seems to me the eye of the heart sees much differently than the human eye or the camera. Today my desire is to see with all of them.

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  • Art,  Art/Design,  landscape,  natural areas,  Pineridge Natural Area,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    Blue Skies, Trees and Cold

    February 3, 2022
    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    It was -9 degrees this morning at 6:33 am. I knew it was cold by looking outside but had to check with my weather app. I promised a friend I’d help him get his car to the repair shop so I needed to be out in the weather. It was well worth helping him as we then went to a coffee shop to warm up and a bit of conversation.

    Pineridge Natural Area

    Our snow storm left about 8-12 inches of snow across the city. Due to the cold it was a light powder so easy to shovel for those who have to. With blue skies and sunshine I headed to the natural areas because I knew nature would still be creating art. Was drawn to these two images of trees cloaked in snow with blue skies. This is true art. I didn’t really notice the cold that much but, then again, it had warmed up to 2 degrees by the time I took them. Hope you have a great day, Stay warm and dry!

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  • haiku,  landscape,  seasons,  shadows,  snow,  winter scenes,  writing/reading

    Canvas of Snow

    February 2, 2022

    day fading to night
    sun casts long blue shadows
    a canvas of snow

    ms

    I love the art of light and the shadows. Scenes like this are the reason I carry a camera with me almost all the time. I took this a week ago as I stepped out my front door. However, today looks much different. Snow moved in yesterday afternoon and continued through the night. Today the sun is nowhere to be seen and therefore neither are shadows. It is presently 9 degrees and we have at least 6 inches of snow. It’s a snow day. I will probably spend much of the day in this chair. Stay warm.

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  • Barry López,  landscape,  Plants,  Poudre River,  seasons,  trees,  winter scenes

    Nature’s Teaching

    January 27, 2022

    “Over the years, one comes to measure a place, too, not just for the beauty it may give, the balminess of its breezes, the insouciance and relaxation it encourages, the sublime pleasures it offers, but for what it teaches. The way in which it alters our perception of the human. It is not so much that you want to return to indifferent or difficult places, but that you want to not forget.”

    Barry Lopez, About This Life

    This an image of the Poudre River taken north of town near Watson Lake State Wildlife Area. I’ve lived in the Fort Collins area for about 25 years now and yesterday was my first trip to this beautiful area. I was impressed with it and will look for other photo opportunities to share with you. I agree with Barry Lopez that time in nature alters our perception in a positive way. Conversely our lack of time in nature and indifference with nature also alters our perception in a negative way. I firmly believe it is the biggest reason our world is in the mess it is in. We need Nature’s teaching!

    Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and today is overcast and snow began falling about 7:00 am. If you look closely you will see a group of 6 deer just to the right of the bridge. Have a great day!

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  • Arapaho Bend Natural Area,  landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  quotes,  seasons,  trees,  winter scenes

    Cottonwoods

    January 26, 2022
    Cottonwood trees at Arapaho Bend Natural Area

    Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow.

    Imogen Cunningham

    If you look closely on the right side of the trees you will see the remnants of the Old Straus Cabin. The cabin is located within the Arapaho Bend Natural Area. This cabin is an example of the early log structures. George Strauss built the cabin in 1864 and farmed the land around it, growing vegetables and raising cattle. These trees and the cabin sit right along the banks of the Poudre River.

    Cunningham’s attitude seems like a pretty good approach to improving our photography. Think I’ll give it a try. It was 2 degrees this morning when I left the condo. Now a blue sky and sunshine brightens the day but will see clouds move in later and snow beginning tonight and into tomorrow.

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  • landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  Reservoir Ridge Natural Area,  seasons,  snow,  winter scenes

    Words to live by…

    January 22, 2022
    Afternoon walk at Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    The Earth is everywhere. You may be used to thinking of the Earth as only the ground beneath your feet. But the water, the sea, the sky, and everything around us comes from the Earth. Everything outside us and everything inside us comes from the Earth.

    Thich Nhat Hanh

    Colorado does have some beautiful blue skies. We haven’t seen much of it for the past couple days. Today is one of them. May Thich Nhat Hanh’s words cause us to pause, reflect on the world around us and then let them set deep roots within us to live by. Have a wonderful weekend.

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