December 15, 2009

A Walk in the Woods: Snow



This morning was a first chance of the season to get out into snowy woods; because it was so mild and the snow was wet, snowshoes were my means of conveyance. The world outside has been reduced to a subtle rendering of line against white, of simple form in limited color. On my way to the woodland path, I passed the naked raspberry canes, a reddish brown against a milky haze.




The trees, of greenish browns, gray browns, warm browns, or tarnished silver, are spotted with lichens and mosses, adding a bit of pattern to their stark volumes.




There are weeds and grasses whose graceful lines we're now able to see, drawn on the snow.




I was able to find a wonderful grouping of mosses and lichens (and is the red possibly a liverwort?) on the north side of a tree, looking like an abstract painting using close and compatible hues, and bright green for sparkling emphasis.




Surprisingly, there are still green ferns popping up here and there; here they provide a counterpoint to the bright blue plastic hose, used to carry maple sap in spring. The barbed wire is from old fencing; it's hard to imagine that the crowded woods may have been pasture years ago. There is nature and manufacture and history, different yet connected, telling their stories in the woods around us.

8 comments:

  1. Such a truly lovely post...a pleasure to take the walk with you and enjoy the sites.

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  2. Very lovely. Brings to mind:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRsXU4Q6a0Q

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  3. Glad you are back home. I have begun to explore lichen dyeing and wanted to let you know. I have put up some info for identification of lichens on my blog and had you in mind, since I know you dye fabric for your "ruglets." Enjoy your deep, whipped cream snow. We have only had 1/2 inch so far and now its gone again. I can only dream. JM

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  4. Absolutely gorgeous photos! If you don't mind me asking, what type of camera are you using? Are you using a special lens? The photos on your website are so clear that they appear to be "real," not just photographic images. Anyway, the contrast between the white of the tree covered in snow and the almost black of the naked cane in the first photo is quite astounding! That particular photo could be a competition winner, if you ask me. Wow!

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  5. I just came in from my pre-lunch walk, on a day very different from yesterday, with temperatures about 20 degrees colder and the snow hard and crusty. I'm glad you enjoyed yesterday's walk and I wish I could bring you all along to enjoy the air and light.

    I use a Nikon Coolpix 8700, which I believe is no longer made because Nikon is now emphasizing SLR's for more serious photographers. I love this camera because it's compact and light, yet has all the pro features, like setting aperture and ASA etc.

    As for the white tree, though it does have some snow on it, it's a White Birch, so looks ghostly because of its pale bark.

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  6. your photos make everything look so serene. A plasure to view from the warmth of my study.

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  7. yes, the snow does make everything seem pristine and quiet.

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  8. The moss and lichen remind me of the colors of one of your ruglets--those yellow-greens and purple-reds.

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