Monthly Archives: March 2009

Spring Snow at Lower Lake Ranch

spring snow

spring snow

An overnight snow fall last week made a perfect morning for a walk on the guest ranch in the valley below my house. Light snow was still falling as I began my walk.

 

I cross a new bridge recently constructed to replace a broken and abandoned one of long ago. Lots of restoration work has been done in the past year on the ranch.
 
bridge over elk creek

bridge over elk creek

Weak sunlight begins to filter through the clouds as I photograph the barn with lions head soft in the cloudy background.
 
at the barn

at the barn

 
Bright spring gold in the twigs along the creek.
spring color along the creek

spring color along the creek

 

Two geese on upper lake. One gets out of the water and poses on one foot for me.
two geese on upper lake 

two geese on upper lake

 
Two more geese circle and call. The first pair loudly answer and hold their claim on the only open water.
two newcomers

two newcomers

 

The 2nd pair continue to circle and call,

circle and call

circling pair

 

then land on the snow covered ice at the other end of the lake.

geese landing

geese landing

 

The lead goose lands gracefully followed by a sliding partner.

still sliding

still sliding

 

As the clouds lift and the sun rules the sky, I move up the creek to photograph lions head from a couple of other favorite locations.

Near crop rock:

ponderosas and lions head

ponderosas and lions head

 

And, from lion’s foot.

lion's foot with snow
lion’s foot

 

bright clouds at sunrise

In the sky last week: a bright wave above the treetops.

I loved the tiny, thin line of cloud stretched out beside lions head. Named it, “lions breath”.

I can’t get away from the moon.

I’ve got the moon in my head. I listened to an old song with a line about the moon and the line played over and again in my mind for a week. Cured the condition by listening to lots of other music, but am being careful with that song from now on. Won’t even type the title. 😉

still going for the moon

Why not go for the moon? This early morning moon set got me out of bed to photograph.

I’m still working my way through all the materials and files going back into my studio. Piles of homeless stuff litter the rooms waiting for a place in the studio, a donation trip, or the dumpster. Anyone need an oscillating fan that sounds like a jet engine?

I loved the early purple before sunrise (above) and the changing colors as the sun rose (below). I loved standing on the deck in the cold morning looking out and away from the chores waiting for me inside the house.