Don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to the early spring bloom and the warmer weather that are creeping up on us. But there is just as much beauty in nature in the cold and rainy weather of late February and early March. There are so many sharp details that stand out now, which will later be lost in the lush greenery to come. And the way that a soft, cold rain coats everything is different than in other seasons.
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Yes, I was making a pun about Sharp Details. But right now all the thorny vines and stems are clearly visible, and very impressive as well.There are large tangled patches of these bad boys all over the park. In a couple months they will be much less noticeable, unless you venture off the trail in which case you will quickly find yourself shredded by them. Just one of many reasons you should always stick to the official trails.Not everything is harsh and thorny in appearance however. There are plenty of softer hints of spring to be seen. When I saw this particular scene I was drawn to how the water interacts with different parts of the plant. Beading up on the emergent fibrous parts, while smoothy coating the rest. The thin layer of water adds a richness and depth to the colors of the outer parts of the plant.I enjoy how these clumps of cottony fibers catch and hold water in small droplets in intricate, swooping lines and patterns.Viewed close up, these little puffs look very similar to the webs of ground spiders which will soon begin to emerge. I always find it fascinating how such similar patterns appear throughout nature, at different times and from different phenomena.Once the hard, non porous surfaces accumulate enough water you get beautiful single droplets of water just hanging around. On a day when the rain is light and there is little wind these droplets can grow large enough to show interesting optical effects. The hanging droplets of water redirect light in such a way that they appear to contain perfect, inverted copies of their immediate surroundings.
To me there is no one season, or type of weather which is best for enjoying being outside. All times and conditions are equally beautiful. Nature simply has an endless supply of things to see and experience for those who go out and look. So while I am looking forward to spring, I am in no way waiting around for winter to end.
Cold and rainy, one of my favorite weather combos for going photo-hiking. I especially like it when the temps are right at freezing, and there is a light but steady rain through out the day. The kind of rain that softly coats everything, that soaks into the ground rather than pooling up and running off. It was just this sort of weather than inspired me to take the day off work to go walk the Dune Ridge and Beverly Shores trails in the Indiana Dunes National Park.
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This kind of rain makes colors just pop. Fungi, Lichens and Mosses perk up with rich and deep color. They respond quickly to the moisture, sprouting fruiting bodies to release their spores.
