We haven’t had much snow this winter, but there has been enough to ‘top-off’ the rooster.
The climate here in Southern Oregon along the Upper Applegate River is worth crowing about, however. Mild winters are hemmed in by colorful falls and warm springs. The summer can get a tad warm at times, but they are mainly tolerable. Only the seemingly endless fires of August and September are a royal pain in the derrière. Pardon my French.
What snow we do get is always an invitation to go for a walk. I like to see what animals have left their tracks for me to peruse and to admire the beauty of the freshly fallen snow. And, of course, my camera goes along. It insists. As a result, you are pretty much guaranteed to get my annual snow post. I feel obligated. (grin) So here it is!
If the rooster seemed cold, imagine what the frog my brother bought for our bird bath turned deer watering hole was feeling. And believe me, the deer were not happy that their spring was frozen solid.I always start my snow walk by looking out from our patio at the distant mountains, if they aren’t socked in. Peggy and I hiked around the now white Red Buttes last summer as part of my journey down the PCT.Then I check out other views from the patio. This is looking down across the hidden Applegate River through our white oaks at Douglas firs across the way. Another view across the river canyon with the sun peaking through. Having satisfied myself that things are beautiful out front, I walk up our road to the Rogue River National Forest that forms the back boundary of our property. White oaks provided dramatic silhouettes from the road. And a snowy wonderland up close.We call this old fellow that lives in the National Forest the Lord of the Rings tree. We’re convinced that elves and hobbits find it a pleasant place to hang out.Different trees hold the snow in different ways. This is the Douglas fir ‘look.’And this is a ponderosa pine.A closer look at the ponderosa with its snow.Twisting and turning white oak branches covered in snow always provide a photo op.Group shot! The short guys are up front.And I will close today with this one featuring white oaks and a ponderosa pine.
NEXT POST: I’ve been working hard at going through and categorizing and culling out my umpteen thousand Burning Man photos. Assuming I finish, it will be fun to go through and highlight some of the better ones. I’ve created 12 different categories!
Wandering through Time and Place 