We had a very nice snow early February. The snow was wet down in the village so it stayed on the trees for a while.
The photo below shows part of the planned Mink Brook Community Forest. The Hanover Conservancy is partnering with the Town of Hanover, the Trust for Public Land and the Northern Forest Center to protect 250 acres of upland forest, floodplain meadow, and a corridor of Mink Brook. This will be a fantastic addition to the town and the whole Upper Valley.
During these first two weeks I spent some time photographing lines, patterns, textures, and S-curves. Love those S-curves. Here are seven photos.
I also photographed buildings and building details.
I got lucky on my one trip to Mascoma Lakeside Park in Enfield. I planned to do some early morning photography for a project I am doing for a local organization. It gave me a good excuse to leave even earlier and see if the sky would light up over Lake Mascoma.
It was dull when I arrived. Then there was only one primary color — red — but it was intense. And there was a dramatic sun pillar that lasted for around five minutes as I scurried around with one camera on a tripod and another around my neck. No gloves and 7 F, but it is easier that way. Hands eventually warm up.
There were three fishing tents on the lake, and a fisherman was setting a fourth. He had arrived even before I did and was already well out on the lake.
Here are ten more photos I took while the light was still dramatic. What happens many times at sunrise, once the sun is finally over the horizon, the show is over. And sunsets are often best well after the sun goes down.
A mid-morning hike with Jann around Occom Pond yielded a few photos of a forlorn swing and children on the hill on the golf course.
So far during February, I have photographed three species of avian winter visitors: Common Redpolls, Bohemian Waxwings, and Horned Larks. They only come in winter, and they certainly do not arrive every year.
We have had around two dozen Common Redpolls in our yard for the last two months. Pervious years they have numbered in the hundreds. They love thistle.
A week ago I posted a number of photos of Bohemian Waxwings taken in beautiful Metropolitan Downtown Etna. Here is one I did not post. If you wish to see the ones I did post, you can CLICK HERE.
Yesterday I photographed and posted photos of Horned Larks just over the Norwich border in Thetford.
As we say goodbye to the first half of February and welcome the second half with renewed optimism, I leave you with a photo of our cute Rilla.
