In all their glory

And just like that, they’ve arrived: strutting in the treetops, filling the air with song, dazzling us with their beauty; behold, the warblers are here, in all their glory!

Blackburnian warbler at Britannia Park on Mother’s Day, 2014

Rainbow scum?

When the local pond scum starts to look like rainbows, you have to question what exactly was in your drink the night before…

No filter. Just nature, a little high on life.

 

Weekend Highlights

Some highlights from a spring weekend spent on the trails in South Ottawa: a rainy walk at Richmond Conservation Area, and a sunny jaunt at Beryl Gaffney Park. Two local spots that we love to explore, through every season, to see what we can see.

 

Rideau Reflections

A back channel on the Rideau river, almost overflowing with spring meltwater

+

bare branches overhead, almost bursting with budding leaves

=

swirling, artistic impressions almost dancing on the water’s surface.

 

Birch wall

I recently visited my newly-found, favourite birch grove again. I must have looked like a doofus, swaying back and forth, leaning a little this way, then that way, until I got into *just* the right awkward pose to create exactly what I was hoping for: a wall of birch, with no sky or ground showing, just glowing white trunks lined up in a row.

This makes me happy, which is weird, but that’s the way it goes.

 

 

Meltwater

All that melting snow has to go somewhere! This babbling creek was a surprise discovery on a trail this weekend. I’m hoping to go back throughout the year and watch as the creek evolves with the changing seasons.

In the meantime, let’s all be mesmerized by the reflection. *oooh, aaah*

 

Hollow

Looking up through a hollowed out pine snag, amazed at the sheer size of this old giant.

Taken with smartphone, at Brittania Park, looking for owls.

 

 

So tired

Maybe it’s the lingering cold and snow, maybe it’s changing the clocks, maybe it’s March break and having the kids around all day, but man, am I ever bagged. I should follow this guy’s lead and get some sleep.

And while he looks cozy enough, I think I prefer my bed over a tree branch – much more comfy.

 

Get Outside!

We just got back from a walk in the woods at Baxter Conservation Area, which has some great trails in the forests along the Rideau River. What an incredible day! It’s gorgeous out there – if you’re experiencing a hit of spring weather like we are in the Ottawa Valley, oh my goodness get outside and enjoy the sun, the melting snow, the porcupines in the trees and the purple finches singing.

 

 

Rural Abstracts 1

A drive through the countryside with nothing but flat, gray light and a bleak end-of-winter landscape forced me to see the world through different eyes.

I rarely stretch my imagination like this, as I prefer to take pictures of nature being beautiful, but looking for lines and contrast instead of colour and detail gives me a new perspective, and  helps me to develop my creativity.

And, well, it’s just fun, with neat results!

This image I took at my recently found birch grove. I’m so excited about it! Birch is my favourite tree, so to find a dense stand nearby allows me to revisit frequently, and play around with the trees photographically. You’ll be seeing more of this forest through the months.

This image isn’t post-processed, except for a little change in contrast. I used the blur technique, where you set a slightly slower shutter speed, and move the camera up or down while taking the picture. Easy to do, with interesting results – try it!