Cold & Gray - Day 94

Snow Dusted Firepower - Day 77

Tree Silhouette - Day 76

Winter Tree - Day 63

Winter Morning Skies - Day 55

Korean War Memorial - Day 50

National Korean War Memorial 19 figures representing those who fought. 19 x 2 equals 38 a number representing the 38th parallel and the 38 month duration of the war.

Paperwhites - Day 39

Day 59 - Winter Walk-Off 2016

Today I accepted the Winter Walk-Off 2016 Challenge from fellow blogger Les Parks and his A Tidewater Gardener blog. I decided to head to one of my favorite places in the neighborhood, Turtle Lake located in the Carolanne Farms Neighborhood Park in Virginia Beach. This area is part of the Elizabeth River Nature and Canoe Trail on the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River.

I start my late winter journey with a crocus along the way.

Enter the park where Challedon Drive and Gainsbourgh Road meet.

One of the lake's namesake turtles catching some late afternoon sun.

A pair of mallards swam over to greet me.

The Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River at low tide.

Marsh grass along the shore.

A gum ball caught on its way to the ground and now serving as a cobweb anchor.

Day 20 - Bury Your Head in a Good Book

Good advice for anyone in the Mid-Atlantic states this weekend. Come on by the Slover Library, we have plenty of reading and movies.

Day 16 - Yellow

Caught these bare winter trees and their harsh shadows against a bright yellow wall in the late afternoon sunlight.

Step Outside - Day 60 #CY365

Today challenge was "Step Outside" and the first day of month is always a self portrait. So here's my selfie taken in the front yard with my neighbor's bare pecan trees in the background. I captured the late afternoon sun which appeared briefly on an otherwise cloudy and gray day. Used the camera's popup flash to add just a little fill light with the flash compensation set at -2 stops. The camera's self timer was used, manual focus using the distance gauge on the lens, and of course, the camera was tripod mounted. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/8, ISO 200, 35mm prime lens.

Morning Silhouette - Day 8 #CY365

Took today's picture on the way into the office this morning. This is Norfolk Virginia's Scope Plaza with the 2013 All American City banners backlit by the rising sun. I got some photo advice many years ago - "if the light is good, fine something and take a picture". That was the case this morning as I was driving in I noticed the early morning glow from the rising sun. When I saw this view, I whipped into a parking place, got out and took a picture.

Canon G15, 1/2000 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

Natural Treasure - Day 7 #CY365

I've taken hundreds of sunset photos over the years but I can never seem to pass one by. Today's theme was natural treasure and the winter sunset seemed to fit the bill perfectly. We have had a number of really nice sunsets recently and this mother nature's intent. During the winter months the sun is at a much lower angle in the sky and farther away from the earth so it's light travels through more atmosphere. This tends to filter the higher frequency blue spectrum light leaving more of the lower frequency red spectrum light to light up the evening sky. Canon 5D Mark II, 1/5 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Unique - Day 6 #CY365

Winter left a few dried blossoms clinging to the leafless hydrangeas. Backlight from the low angle winter sun brings out the unique details of each blossom. Canon G15, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200 in macro mode.

Nest - Day 3 #CY365

Winter arrived today with our first temperatures down in the mid 20's. I know that doesn't seem cold to many but for temperate southeastern Virginia, it's cold. This abandoned Mockingbird's nest in a bare tree pretty much captures the feeling of a gray, cold and windy day for me.

Canon 5D Mark II, 1/320 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens.

Winter Carnival

The Winter Carnival at Norfolk Virginia's MacArthur Center is a new addition this year along with the popular MacArthur on Ice public ice skating rink. It sure makes for a nice scene during the deep purple sky of twilight.

Canon G15, 0.6 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

Winter Sunset

- While it has a mild winter so far in Southeast Virginia, the bare trees set the season for last evening's beautiful sunset. Canon G11, 1/40 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400

Twilight Tree

- The bare tree says winter but today's temperature in Norfolk Virginia reached 68 degrees. Took this twilight photo from the car with the top down. Back to reality tomorrow, afternoon high around 42. Canon G11, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

Late Bloomer

- This pink camellia is blooming much later than usual because of the cold winter. I normally have blooms beginning in December through February but this year the blooms began opening fully in late February. When its done blooming the bush will require some major pruning as the heavy snow in December and January broke it down badly. But even with all of that abuse, it still manages these beautiful blooms by the dozens. Canon 40D, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, LED litepanel.

Winter Walk Off

- I accepted a challenge from Les and his A Tidewater Gardner blog to walk around the neighborhood and photograph the signs that winter is almost over. Besides the fact that today's high temperature was 78ºF (26ºC), I didn't have to go far to find a beautiful sign of the season. These violet crocuses are in my next door neighbor's yard. She has dozens of them and every year they are one of the first signs that spring will soon be here. Check out Les's blog and accept the challenge. He has prizes! Canon 40D, 1/200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens, handheld LED light for illumination.