MILL POND/STILL POND

While on errands this week, I had a few minutes 

to swing by Snoqualmie Mill Pond.

I was happy to see it completely frozen, 

though it was disappointingly

empty of water fowl.

Enter my next favorite pond subject:

cattails, warming up in the afterglow 

of sunrise:

I made this photo

with the sunrise at my back, 

which of course completely changed the color:

I was driving off when I saw the last of 

the low light made for a silhouette, so had to get 

back out into the cold:

A closer shot 

shows a Canada goose's take-off pattern etched on the ice:

FROZEN !

Just like the lyrics from one of the songs from the movie, "Frozen",

Snoqualmie Falls is "Beautiful, Powerful, Dangerous".

Even when ice reduces it to less than half its width, it is all of those things.

These photos were taken from the viewpoint at the top of the Falls just a couple of days ago: 

This slope attracted my attention, with the dead-fall tree  "frozen in time".  This is not fresh snow; it is ice:

As did this trio of ice-encased bushes, varying in size and brightness from my perspective and with my choice of settings:

These berries reminded me of salmon eggs:

And I made this photo literally on the brink above the Falls:

Because of the "angel dust" frozen fall-out, the photo I made of these weeds looks like I added a special effect.  Nope.  But I like the way it has the look of a watercolor:

BELOW THE FALLS

Dick and I live just moments from Snoqualmie Falls, so when Pat called with the suggestion to check conditions in the freeze, it was an easy outing.  And a welcome one!

A huge project recently turned a bushwhacker's path (which I have taken many times)  into a safe and relatively easy trek to the bottom of the Falls.  It is a wonderful perspective; especially when we could get close to the icy river.

Note here the individual on the rocks, just forward of where the falls hits the water (dark jacket).  There are barriers and warning signs to NOT go down onto the rocks, but isn't there always  the one to challenge the officials?  I noted that this man had a tripod, so was a photographer, and I secretly envied his dangerous position: 

I thought this icy rock looked like a walrus!

River rocks wore sequined tutus of ice: 

Returning to the car, we noticed sword ferns were curled against the extreme cold,

as if hugging themselves and shivering: 

REFRESHER COURSE AT RATTLESNAKE LAKE

This winter is being very fickle and moody.  Even when we choose a photo destination, the light and weather can change in minutes.  I was happy for a call from Pat recently, with the invitation to go out to Rattlesnake Lake "just for the refreshing air, even if the light isn't right."  

So, it seemed when we first got there that it was going to be a blah, gray end of the day. 

Here is how it first appeared:

We started around the lake to the left, just to feel the exhilaration of a walk on the rocky lake shore.  Suddenly the setting sunlight was so bright in our eyes, we were seeing red blotches.

Cameras were at the ready to catch what we could:

  

Blinded by the golden brightness, I turned around to walk backwards.

I couldn't believe how "autumnal" the reflection was; bare-limbed trees appeared to

have orange/gold leaves: 

Stumps and their reflections glowed against the backdrop of new-snow-dusted Mt. Si:

We had so many "Ooh/ Ahh" moments just turning one way and then another!

I made as many photos as I possibly could while the setting sun performed  amazingly.

This one makes the water look thick and smooth as oil against the rocks : 

I saw it, then hurried to get steady footing on the rocks in order to capture the golden outline on the lake's far edge:

   

And clouds were constantly reflecting different colors:

Good thing I had to keep turning my back on the blinding sunset, or I might have missed some great reflections.  Here are trees silhouetted in front of Mt. Si's reflection: 

Turn back around!   The cloud reflection was even more intense than the sky itself, like paint spilled on the rocks and spread out:

The last light warms the rocks and outlines Mt. Si's reflection. 

The entire sunset show lasted not more than 15 minutes.

We felt so lucky in our timing!