mid-winter musings

 post #126
       This blog's intent has been to talk about photography and about Appalachia.  I try to keep each week's post fairly simple, mostly short, and always fun, at least for me.  Along the way I share my photos, including ones that are not perfect.  If they tell part of the story I have in mind, I go ahead and use them.  I am not trying to show off.  I much prefer to share -- and to learn from whatever I do.  For these same reasons I have appreciated occasionally including work from other photographers, such as John Flavell and Chris Garris and who knows who in the future.  I also include my own work from other places where I may happen to be.  The line John Lennon used in a song, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans," works for me as well.
       Today's photos are a combination of where I have been (England) and where I want to go again (the beavers nearby).  Therefore they are not the whole story -- one's a finishing up and the other's a hint of more to come.



   First, the snow at night, in England, coming back from a Chinese New Year potluck!  Surprise!  We ended up with five inches, but it didn't last all that long.

      Here is the same place, the next morning:

      
        In fact, the next day I drove to a garage that was at a lower elevation, and there was a lot less snow around:

        I don't know which of these two views I prefer, so here are both of them!

   Now, back in Kentucky, where the snow seems more persistent.  I had to slip and slide a bit to get the angle I wanted to show the water falling AND the unusual snow circle below.

       I am on the way to check out "our" beaver colony.  The waterfall, the stream edge and the chimney are all en route.  The pile of rocks shows the back of a chimney built by homesteaders years and years ago.  In the early spring, it is beautiful, surrounded by daffodils.

        Getting to the beaver area requires several stream crossings.  I finally began to see clues.  I call this a beaver cupcake -- even the bark is gone -- and the tree that used to be on top was nowhere to be seen.  It is a marvel, really, despite the aura of destruction along the stream.

       Beaver munchies?  Busy, busy...

        How about some beaver chips for dinner....  Again, notice the missing bark on the lower part of the stump.  When I return to this place, I will look to see if this tree remains standing -- though I doubt it will be.

   
       My true confession for that day is that I did not have my good camera with me!  Neither did I have food or water.  I had just planned a "look see".....  But now I am eager to return better prepared.  (Even truer confession: most of the beaver photos were taken with my iPhone.)