I've been going stir crazy with all this weather so I decided to get out with my camera this morning no matter what. The light was crummy, dull and flat overcast, but the temp was warmer than it has been. Drove around west of town and took these.

And old farmstead.

Back at the dam at Minard Mills Park

Processed with a Lomo effect named after an inexpensive Russian camera whose pictures often turned out like this.

Same shot "properly" processed.

I saw a tree east of the Grass Lake exit that caught my eye yesterday afternoon on the way to Cabelas. This morning I got up early, blew out my driveway, and decided to drive over. The light was interesting and I grabbed a few shots.

Added a bit of lens flair in this one.

Slightly different angle.

Obviously not a tree---cold, old Queen Ann's lace.

By the time I got back home we were in a snow squall and visibility was down to about 100 yards. Nice to catch a patch of blue even for a few moments.

I went out this morning to drive around and see if I could get some snow pics. My first stop was this ditch-line with a couple of fence-posts bracketing the shot.

Interesting textures and shadows but nothing spectacular. I gingerly made my way over the bank to take the shot.

Then I experienced a stupid attack. Remember this is a ditch line. Ditches carry water. The snow was already deep enough but one step further plunged me to my waist in snow. When I put my left foot down to stabilize myself, it went even deeper and under water. I could feel my nice warm insulated boot filling with really cold, mucky, ditch run-off.

So there I was, trying to hold my camera up with one hand and trying harder not to get any deeper into the ditch. As I was flailing about in what Patrick McManus calls "a modified stationary panic," I quickly realized that I was in an extradition deficit condition---I was stuck. Worse, I was over the bank, out of sight from the road, with one foot thoroughly soaked in icewater and the rest of me immersed in snow.

The thought occurred to me that at least I could call for help on my cell phone. Then I remembered my cell phone was plugged into the charger in the car. When stupid attacks, it brings the whole load.

Obviously, since you are seeing this picture and reading this post, I made it out. It took a fair bit of wallowing but I made it back to the car semi-exhausted and drove home.

A hair dryer is blowing warm air into my boot. My waterlogged jeans are in the wash, and I fixed myself a cup of hot tea.

The morning just kept getting more interesting. While fixing my tea, I noticed a small puddle of water on the counter. Looking up, the outside corner of the ceiling over the counter was covered with droplets of water. I found the same moisture in my bedroom and in the guest bedroom.

A call to handyman Warren Kinder confirmed my suspicions. It was condensation caused by the really cold air outside and the really average insulation where the ceiling meets the roof. I wiped down the moisture best I could and turned down the humidifier.

Nothing that can't be fixed, but I think I'll stay inside for a while.

This morning a fellow-photographer, Wendi McCallum, and I braved the cold and wind to shoot some snow. We went to Minard Mills Park and captured these:

The falls over the dam were mostly frozen --- mostly.

The action of the current shaped these mini- icebergs into circles. They were trapped in this eddy.

A magnificent sycamore!

Photographers will do anything for a shot!

We were fascinated by the shapes of the marsh grass and their shadows.

When we got back, Wendi's husband, Dave, had put together a most welcome venison stew with hot coffee which warmed us significantly. After lunch, Dave drove me to a back field where I took a picture of part of an old fence.

When I got home, James called to say he was taking the kids sledding and did I want to go. So I grabbed my camera to capture the fun.

The kid and the kids!

Charis and friend, Tori!

What happens when you drag a foot.

BFF

Lydia took a little convincing. The hill was scarey.

But she finally took the lunge! Then she didn't want to quit.

The Daddy ski lift!

A fun way to spend a winter day. I came home and did the post while listening to Celtic Thunder Radio on Pandora. Another storm is on the way. Wind chills are supposed to be horrific, but I might have to venture out. Nothing like fresh snow to transform the world.