Frozen Opportunities

                                                 Slick Twigs, my front yard, Wabash, IN

Maple Rhythms, my front yard.

     An opportunity to break out the camera presented itself this week in the form of a snow day.  Or, more aptly, an ice day.  As a front of winter weather passed through, it left crunchy snow and a layer of ice over everything in its wake.  As glad as I was that I didn't have to get out and drive in the icy conditions, I was delighted to try to capture the marvel of my sparkling trees.  At least that was my intention.  Many times over the last decade, I have wished that I had my camera in order to capture the fresh fallen snow or layers of ice sparkling in the brilliant winter sunshine, while backed by a crystalline blue sky.  So the vision I had of getting out and capturing a stunning photo of magnificent glittering trees encapsulated by winter's touch was squelched when I discovered how hard it was to photograph clear ice, backed by a dirty, white, cloudy sky and a white, crusty, snowy ground.  Dismal is the word that properly describes the feel of that day, the weather, and my mood.  I was not, however, going to give up without getting something decent in my camera.  As I moved around the yard, I discovered that if I used some of the evergreens on my property as a background, I could get the ice on the deciduous trees to become visible.  HA!

Red Branch, my front yard.

I snapped a few from different views, and decided to call it good when I could no longer feel my fingers.  Needless to say, spending 15 minutes in my front yard, snapping a few photos while still in my bath robe and slippers isn't a huge expedition, but I am feeling very encouraged in my endeavor to recapture my love of photography.  Next step, unearthing all my notes, books, and photos from college, and relearning how to use all the settings my camera has to offer.  (Any hints, ideas, tips, or critiques are welcome in the comments!)