Edit: Uh…these pictures are actually from today. The 10th of March. I’ve decided to keep my original post title as a tribute to the distant planet to which my brain briefly wandered as I threw this together.
So that’s what unmitigated sunshine feels like! But even though it was in the 60s today, there were still some wintery remnants to photograph — namely, the ice formations on the sandbar. It’s a little hard to reach the sandbar with most of the river ice having thawed now. The deepest part of the most direct route down there is only about a foot and a half, but I don’t have waders and wanted to reach the sandbar unscathed. I thought I could scoot sideways along the length of this felled tree, after the end of which there was only about eight or nine more feet of ice to the sandbar, which I could scamper lithely across. So I tried just that, made it to the end of the log, gingerly reached out with my foot for the nearest fast ice and stepped down very, very lightly, and of course immediately broke it and my leg sank into the water up to my shin.
I probably should have figured this would happen considering I was present when more or less the exact same thing happened to my dad the other day, but he tried a different path and I thought my ice would be a little surer. Least the river’s not deep and the water wasn’t actually that cold. My boots are not watertight, though, and lots of water got into it. Ohhhhh well.
I took a gajillion pictures today; I had to stop when I ran out of room in my memory card. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Hanging out in the mini glacier den.
2. The water droplets aren't terribly clear but I was happy to have gotten a picture of them having departed the ice, anyway. It wasn't terribly hard because it was so warm and the ice was melting so fast.
3.
4. Some weeds on the sandbar glowing delightfully.
5.
6. There was a little channel in some of the sandbar ice and a little mini river running through it. How sweet.
7.
8. I was very intrigued by the pattern on this very thin layer of ice on the riverbank abutting our campsite.
9. Maple leaf
10. Another maple leaf, stuck to the ice.
11.
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14. Cottonwood leaf or poplar I think.
15.
16.
17.
18. Muddy grass
19. I think this picture looks strangely cosmic.
20. To give you some idea of the overall, non-icy context of the river right now.
21. A closer look at the pattern on some very thin river ice.
22. Inside of a shell
23. Look, it's a sperm whale!
24. Oak leaf
25. I like the colors; they're sunrise-y.
26. Detail of sandbar ice surface
sarah takes pictures 
Beautiful…!! I feel like I’ve just entered a different world 🙂
Thank you so much! There was definitely something kind of surreal about these formations, especially when removed from their context.
It’s as if nature is creating a painting right before your eyes 🙂
I love the lines and warm, thawing mood the whole gallery has. Especially the leaves. Its very clever, in that you’re seeing the autumn leaves in the winter ice, thawing in the spring sunshine. Just lovely. 🙂
Thank you! I know, I love that all the seasons are kind of bleeding into each other in some of these pictures.
I’m jealous of your mini glacier den! Did you make it or find it?
Definitely just found. I was actually a little afraid to poke my way in there because it’d be just my luck if it decided it wanted to collapse on my arm or even my head or something. There was a few of these den-like structures, actually — and overall probably two or three dozen of these big chunks of ice strewn all over our sandbar with vastly different patterns, textures, and colors. It was so much fun to photograph them!
I like how you look at things. I especially like how you notice the details in what you see. I can identify with that! Good for you. Keep it up! 🙂
Thank you so much! Glad you like my approach.
These are really gorgeous photos! They’re making me wish I lived in a colder climate.
Thank you! It’s fun to hear from those of you living in warmer climates — I think 98% of the time, the envy is one-way, from our climate to yours. 🙂
Your images are incredible…way cool:)
Thanks so much!
how good is that 🙂 brilliant post … great photo’s
Thank you very much. 🙂
Lovely pictures, it’s cold and misty here this weekend. Atmospheric but very dull and grey, so nice to see a shining set of photos.
Jim
Sounds like it was cool there too, though — I love that kind of weather. Thanks, Jim!
Phantastic glacier lab!
We had real problems to let people think about what it might have looked – and what the bottom might have been – here in the North German Lowland. Next to no-one wanted to believe in the masses of stones having been transported from Scandinavia. So a lot of photos had to be used up to now showing “lab conditions” (= open your eyes, the stones are there, waters` turbulence worked it`s way).
Long text – short question:
May I use your photos (here: 1, 2, 5, 6, 11) for presentations, what kind of copyright shall I fill in?
Please answer to ludwig.tent@gmx.net
Thanks for great pictures!
I would be delighted for you to use my pictures in your presentation! I will email you later today with that information. Thanks so much!
Great batch yesterday! I really like the first one. It makes it look like you were spelunking in the cockles of the heart–I mean, inside a crevasse.
Thank you, miss. Like I always say, better spelunking in heart cockles than getting preached at by puppets.
Just love these pictures. Great work.
Thank you very much!
The first one is my fav. Very unusual angle.:)
Thanks! 😀
Wow! Some of these don’t even look real! Great job! 😉
Thank you! That was my impression too at times.
I repeat,your images are great..love this one 23. Look, it’s a sperm whale!
Thank you very much, Dimitris!
Wonderful series!!
Thank you!
A Fine series with many nice captures and favorites….. – and a sperm whale!! 😀
Thank you very much! 😀
Loved these – especially #2. I think it’s better, actually that the droplets aren’t completely clear. It’s a kind of mesmerizing image. You use your immediate living environment as a photographer’s canvas. I had an old poster, once that said, “stand still until you really see” – that’s what you’re doing. its a good way to live.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Lois. 🙂
There are so many delightful things to see in this post, Sarah. I’ve been back more than once to see it. I don’t even know how to choose, but 19 and 21 are among my favorites. This is cool stuff.
Thank you so much, Dave! I’m glad you liked them.
wow
you really find very detailed litted aspect of things around you, very observational trait.
Though I still cannot understand the “sperm whale” pic. what is it ?