Winter Light

This month’s theme is Winter Light for the Picture This contest and Gardening Gone Wild. The judge, Roger Foley of Foley Photo talked about how “winter sunlight can be bold and graphic in the way it falls on a garden” I was fixated on finding some of that. I had two problems when I went on my quest. First, this February we weren’t getting ANY snow. Secondly, I’ve realized over the month that I don’t have any trees really placed to have shadows fall in graphic lines in my yard. I’ve placed most of my trees to cast shade from the west in summer to have a respite from the heat. On Friday we finally got some snow that stuck. When I looked out the window yesterday day morning I saw my arbor casting graphic shade lines on the snow. I squealed and ran for the camera. I’ll tell you now though that it didn’t create the picture that I’m submitting for the contest. Enough blather, here is my submission first…

Winter Light- Snowdrop

Snowy Snowdrop

My family again help me pick the submission.   What I liked about it was how the snow was just beginning to melt.  Close up it looks like bubbles, and the ice had formed a little cage that reminded me of those sugar cages that expert bakers make.

I also really liked the photo below.   The sun lighting up the snow was showing up as blues and reds in my view finder.  I took a  ton of pictures but only one showed any colors.  The plant is salvia pachyphylla (sold with the common name mojave sage around here).    It’s a western native with beautiful purple blooms.   I loved this plant so much this year that I added 5 more.

salvia pachyphylla

The dogs came out when I went to the backyard. Henry paused on patrol right at the end of the graphic shade lines caused by the arbor. Henry patrols the perimeter looking for cats, birds, any invader. I’ve lost a few plants when we’ve altered the garden and he’s cut a new path. The rest of the pics can be clicked to enlarge.

Henry on patrol

Hershey bounded around wanting to play, but since I was taking photos, she keyed in on Henry.

Hershey

Attack!
Can you see the patrol trail?

Here’s the bucket handle again that made an appearance in my Jan Picture-This.

early morning moon pictures

Getting further from the garden, an early morning picture from the field down the street.

And much further from home, a picture in American Fork Canyon.

Thanks for checking out my search for winter light.
My sister just joined the blog with her first post today.  My contest entry has sadly pushed her post down the page.  I’d love it if while you’re visiting you could take a look.   Thanks for visiting our blog.

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