Everything Looks Different at Night - Day 12

Left Turn On A Red Light    

Night Time Traffic Signals   

- show up as patterns of colored lights   

An intersection which is busy in the daytime becomes a quiet place at night. Even the red and green traffic signals show up as dots of muted color under the street lights.    

Seeing What's Not There - Day 7

A Pale Sun    

On a Dull Overcast Day

- a pale sun shines like a star in the slush.         

Overcast days may not look promising for photographing either shadows or reflections, but if you keep your eyes open, you never know what you may see!   

Seeing What's Not There - Day 5

Utility Pole Reflection    

Unsteady Reflection 

- on the rippled surface of a puddle disturbed by traffic        

Puddles on the side of the road rarely achieve a state of mirror-calm. Even on a quiet street, traffic rumbling past will set up vibrations in the puddle or else throw a splash of water to disturb the surface. 

Seeing What's Not There - Day 3

Birches in the Slush    

Shadows and Reflections  

- of blue sky and birches      

Reflections make our eyes focus on different planes at the same time. This sets up a puzzle: do you look at the melting ice crystals, or do you look at the reflections of the birch trees?     

Take It To The Streets - Day 24

A Slushy, Sandy, Spring Street  

Warm Afternoon Sunshine Reveals the Winter Accumulation of Sand

- and reflections of trees and poles in the puddles   

Daytime temperatures are still below the freezing mark, but the warmth of the sunshine is skimming the top layers of ice and snow off streets and roads. The ridges of sand will disperse as soon as the road dries, leaving bare pavement.  

     

Take It To The Streets - Day 22

Clearing the Intersection  

A Municipal Snowblower Makes A Tight Cut

- to widen a street intersection   

When the roads are cleared, where does the snow go? It gets piled up along the sides of the roads. After a while, roads and intersections need to be cleared, and that's what this snowblower and its skillful operator are good at doing.   

     

Take It To The Streets - Day 19

Snow Melting into Icicles  

It's still below freezing, but the snow is melting  

- and forming icicles   

The snow that has accumulated over the past little while is starting to melt in the heat from the daytime sun. But the air temperature is still below freezing, and so icicles form, as drops of melt-water run off parked cars and other surfaces that have absorbed heat in the sunshine.

     

Take It To The Streets - Day 18

Holding Things Together 

No need for security any more 

- at the entrance to the old dump road  

At one point there may have been something in here that needed to be kept secure. Now, years later, even a temporary rope closure is falling apart, no matter that the rope is all that is holding the fence in place.

     

Take It To The Streets - Day 14

Heavy Snowfall at the Car Lot  

A dull overcast day   

- relieved by flakes of white  

The weather forecasters predicted heavy accumulations of snow, and by this afternoon the snow was coming quickly, and and it began to accumulate fast. 

At the motor vehicle dealership, fresh snow accentuates the shapes of the new trucks parked in a regular line, and creates light and dark patterns all down the lot.    

Take It To The Streets - Day 12

The Town's Steam Truck Clears A Frozen Water Line  

Extreme Cold and Too Little Snow Cover     

- causes water in underground pipes to freeze    

This winter has been a cold one. Water lines have frozen all over town, and municipal workers go outside at all hours to clear blocked pipes. There are smiles all around when the water starts to flow again.   

Take It To The Streets - Day 11

Green Light Means Go  

Big Trucks Give Way  

- on the left turn arrow    

A big construction project has brought a lot of heavy traffic to the area. Smaller cars and pickup trucks take advantage of the lights at the intersection to make a left hand turn in front of the larger vehicle. 

Take It To The Streets - Day 10

Glare and Drifting Snow  

"Snow Snakes" 

- on the road    

Reflected light from the late afternoon sun reflects of the ice on the road, but the glare is cut by drifting snow making "snow snakes" slither across the surface. 

Take It To The Streets - Day 8

Walking the Dog  

Brilliant afternoon sunshine 

- and brilliant color against the snow    

Although the temperatures have been cold, the sunshine is bright and inviting. Dogs need to be walked no matter what the weather, and their owners need the exercise, even if it is a bit of a job getting dressed to go outside. Then, once you are outside, it's certainly worth the effort.

Take It To The Streets - Day 7

Red, White and Blue  

Red pants, white snow and blue shadows

- a winter color scheme    

The sun is strong on clear winter days, and the shadows are cast in saturated blues. The pedestrian was walking through the parking lot of the corner gas-bar - and the colors were brilliant in the sunshine: Red, White and Blue.  

Take It To The Streets - Day 6

Cold Walking Today  

The only people who are outside

- are the people who have to be out     

Whether you measure the temperature on this sunny winter's day as -30 degrees Celcius or -20 degrees Fahrenheit, it's cold. Anyone who is out for any length of time has to be well-dressed against the chill. Jacket, sweater, cap, gloves, snowpants, boots, everything has to be windproof and warm, and this fellow is set for it. I said "You look cold, can I take your picture?" He agreed and he even gave me a warm smile. 

Take It To The Streets - Day 5

Ice Road  

Evergreen Posts Are Evenly Spaced

- and mark the boundaries of the ice road across the river     

It is a cold overcast day with drifting snow and a wind chill of -27 degrees Celcius. Nobody is out who doesn't have to be. 

This is the ice road to the community on the other side of the river. The trail  is intended for snowmobile traffic and it is marked with trees frozen into holes in the ice to show the location of the track.

The sign reads: "Caution: Mud Lake Winter Road. Travel At Your Own Risk. Always Use Caution When Crossing Bodies Of Water."