Winter Outings

I got out today in hopes of capturing some winter scenes before the rain melted all the snow. It’s been while since I’ve went out, and I had the itch. If you know me, or have not figured it out already, I love to photograph rural landscapes – anything to do with nature and rural living. It reminds me of growing up on a dirt road and the smell of wood smoke in the air, building forts in the woods until our moms called us home. While others flock to the city for urban photography, I head the opposite direction. It’s just my thing. Being that I don’t live in rural utopia, I packed up my gear and headed west.

I always start out in Hines Park, it’s close to my house and I always find something interesting in it’s numerous recreation areas in which to pull over.  Across from Wilcox Lake, there were several evergreens with some rather interesting trunks.

Down the road a bit, there was another tree with red berries growing up from the embankment.

I captured this shot on a hillside moments before my feet slipped out from under me and I slid down the hill on my ass. Nice. Wet jeans for the remainder of the day.  I limped back to my car (I’d slipped on ice on the way to this tree and wrenched my bad hip) and decided to head on to my next destination.  Hines took me to 7 Mile, to Currie Rd. where I passed a yak farm.  Seriously!

This was a new discovery. I always hope to find something new on my familiar journeys. I took 7 Mile back to Beck to North Territorial, a familiar route that we ride in the summer months.  Now that my feet were thoroughly soaked from walking through snow and deep puddles, I realized I was coming upon Tractor Supply and decided a pair of rubber boots would probably be a good idea for traipsing through the snow and mud this season. Sporting my new blue and pink plaid boots (it was that or polka dots) I stopped at Bendemer Park in Ann Arbor at the Huron River, but the rain had really started to come down.

There is a wooden plank bridge that crosses the Huron River, separating the drive and the walking trail.  Standing (carefully) on a guardrail, I took this next shot looking down at the water, as the raindrops hit the surface.

The bridge I was on runs parallel to US-23, also crossing the river. I’d like to return on a dry day and do some more exploring.  Love this overcast Michigan sky!

I was happy to get out today and I do hope we get more snow. I’d love to spend Christmas break on several photography day trips.  This was my favorite shot of the day.