Wednesday, January 12, 2011

More Snow in the South

It's always news when snow hits the South.  Whether we get a lot or a little, the effects are usually the same.  Schools close, businesses open late, church services aren't held, and there are a bunch of wrecks.  While all that is the same time after time, the sights to behold are as different as the snowflakes themselves.


This is what our street looked like when I went out for the paper.  Our paper carriers, bless their hearts, are dedicated to service.  I shudder to think of all they have to deal with just to deliver our morning newspaper each day.

We went for a short walk yesterday, about an hour before dark, to snap a few pictures of our latest snow event.  This was one of the "little" ones, only measuring an inch, so landscape photos were not so special. 


However Man and Nature joined forces to make these interesting spots on the pavement.  I'd seen an oil delivery truck in the neighborhood earlier, and wondered if it had a leak.  The oil, mixed with the melting snow, created a rainbow effect on the street.  Don't they look like eyes?

This neighborhood has a number of small lakes or ponds, and was actually named for one of the lakes.  That lake, though, has long since been drained and houses built in it's place.  Bummer, I know.


Anyway here is one of the larger lakes, and Mother Nature made some interesting designs in the ice.  There are round patches where the ice looks thinner and appears to be cracking from the center outward.  I think maybe these lakes are fed from underground springs, and maybe the comparatively warmer water is causing these spots.  Anyone have an idea?


On another lake, three ducks were swimming on the unfrozen part of the lake.  The overflow runs down a large cement pipe at the edge of the lake, which you'll see in the next picture.



Here is an interesting fellow.  I don't know what kind of duck he is, but he didn't seem to mind me snapping a few shots.  In this one he even turned to look over his back at me...or maybe he was just settling down for a nap.  Notice the water running over the pipe.

At this point my hands were numb, the light was fading and it was time to head home and make dinner.

6 comments:

  1. Linda, those look like "alien eyes" to me. Don't go out there alone after dark.

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  2. It's like the pavement was looking back at you, Linda :)

    Your shots are so lovely. I don't know what sort of duck that it is...not one of the varities I've seen around here, but I love that shot. It does look like he's posing for you!

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  3. We live in the frozen South, too. I didn't try to get out in it to make any photos, but I enjoyed yours!

    Stopped by from ExposeYourBlog.

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  4. Maybe the turtles are warming up those lake ice spots, coming up for air? Just a wild guess, with no real clue. :)

    xoxo

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  5. Linda,

    These pictures are GREAT! I loved the "oil" eyes and even could see "eyes" in the patches of ice on the lake.

    I imagine it's beautiful. We have all the cold, but not the snow. I'm FREEZING all the time. As a Florida girl, I'm not used to temperature in the teens on a regular basis.

    Our lake is so down that most of birds are gone. It does this regularly because it's a combination lake and holding pond. Before it went down, I was lucky to see a flock of wood storks feeding in the lake. They were so cool:~) I like your ducks. They seem happy,except the last one...he does seem cold:~)

    Thank you for sharing your photos!

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  6. Linda- I won't. Although, I thought of them as sort of fish eyes.

    Talon- Thank you! You never know what you'll find when you walk out with your camera, especially in the snow.

    Dirty Butter- Thank you! Hope you can get out soon.

    Jannie- That's an interesting thought. Thanks for guessing.

    Sara- Thank you! Sorry you're so cold. I wonder if it is keeping vactioners away? One year in St. Pete, we saw a wood stork in a parking lot - I think it was Waffle House or McD. We were heading home that morning.

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