Thawing Snow

This has been a roller coaster winter ride.   After a week of very cold and snowy conditions, mother nature gave us a massive thaw for a few days.    Temperatures well above freezing combined with rain and melting snow.

The combination of warm temperature and rain can form beautiful fog lifting from the melting snow on rivers.    A true breath of fresh air during a cold winter can really inspire the photographic eye.

While out enjoying the morning lifting fog, I was greeted by a timid coyote, a pack of deer and this handsome hawk in a near by tree.

I think this is a red tailed hawk.   Within the foggy trees, the atmosphere really allows the beautiful bird to stand out.    After capturing a few shots for myself, it decided to hunt elsewhere and flew off.

This allowed me to continue to enjoy the beautiful foggy morning in a flood plain near the river.

Topography Fund Raiser - 2012

The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park holds an annual fund raiser around the time of the summer solstice.   This past weekend, the event was attended by over 450 people.   It is the largest fund raiser the conservancy has each year.

For the past two years, I was lucky enough to 'elbow' my way into the event under the pretense of photographing the fun time.   Don't tell anyone, but I just enjoy mingling and meeting a lot of nice people who help support the national park that I love so much.  

The annual fund raiser is designed to help maintain the 100+ miles of trails in the national park.   Trails Forever has a lofty goal of establishing a self sustaining endowment for the national park. The funds raised help insure creation and maintenance of the parks wonderful trail system.

Fun day and a fun alternative to my nature photography.   Hopefully the photos captured help the national park and the conservancy for the national park keep the funds rolling.

If you are so inclined to help our little piece of the national park system funded, you can support the conservancy by going to the web site:  Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga River Mud Flats

Last weekend we had a cold morning and I ventured out to try and find some nice ice patterns.  I quickly realized that the conditions didn't get cold enough to form the beautiful ice patterns.

I decided to not give up and continued to explore a flood plain near the Cuyahoga River.    As I was exploring, the snow was gently falling and forming some beautiful patterns on the mud flats along the river.  

The snow was only sticking along the tops of the mud flats and melting in the lower parts of the mud flats that were warmer.   Really fascinating to see the formations.

You can see all of my abstract ideas from the mud flats along the Cuyahoga River.

Cuyahoga River Mud Flats and Snow Exploration - March 4

Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park Photos

Who could refuse a face like this?

Taking time away from my winter monochrome images doesn't mean I stop the camera shutter.  Taking photos for the fund raising arm of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park near me is always fun.

Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park raises money for the national park for education, preservation and enjoyment of the park by all.    They had a fund raising train ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad this past weekend.

Taking photos of the people enjoying the ride gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of great families that use the national park.

You can view of images on my web site at:

Cabin Fever Train Ride Photos