A World of Winter White

I have mentioned before that this has been a snowy winter. Even after several mini thaws, the ground is covered in white. The surface of the snow is crusty and shiny from melting and refreezing. If you're going off the beaten path, you'll want to be wearing some taller boots for that.

This is a charming farm lane not far from Penn State's famous Beaver Stadium. If I drive down Orchard Road as though I am going to Millbrook Marsh, the lane bears off to the right just a minute or two off East Park Ave. Sometimes there are horses in these fields grazing, but not today.

One morning about a year ago, I met a fox in this field. It stood out orange-red against the snow. I admit that every time I stop here now, I look for foxes. Maybe I always will. One fox, but a whole lifetime of looking. The last time I was here, I saw a huge hawk at the top of on one of the trees to the left; but the hawk, like the fox, was not present on this day. I was alone.

I took a few shots on auto, a few in vivid, and then a few in monochrome. This is one of the mono shots. It was overcast on this morning and the shot turned out a bit dark, but I brightened it up on the computer by increasing the exposure a bit. I am not sure how or why, but the end effect is of a pen and ink drawing, which pleases me; somehow makes me feel more of an artist . . . painting with my palette of white.

What I am struck by myself when I look at this image is how white our winter world truly has become. One might look for the Snow Queen herself to arrive, with all of her robes flying and snow crystals sparkling in her crown; queen of all she surveys, throughout all of these white days and, yes, even the white nights.

The song I've picked to accompany this white image had to be a tune with the word white in the title. Here is a favorite, and I'm surprised I've never had cause to use it until now: the Moody Blues, with Nights in White Satin. The video that is linked features original footage of a performance from 1967. Enjoy!