Under the Snow Exhibition

Under the Snow exhibition

When I entered the Under the Snow exhibition at the High Desert Museum on a busy weekend, I thought of one word: engaging. I watched young children dash from one part of the gallery to another, voicing their excitement the whole way. Adults paused and pointed out interesting facts and features. The interactivity of the displays drew everyone in. This exhibition, created by High Desert Museum staff members, displays information in English and Spanish.

Boy at High Desert Museum

Under the Snow presents information on twenty species of wildlife, plants, and fungi on large and small screens. They live in the area beneath the snow called the subnivium. The snow provides insulation, maintaining a steady temperature even when it’s below freezing outside.

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Frosty around the edges: Macro Monday

These Oregon grape leaves were frosty around the edges. This picture, taken in November, shows the leaves getting their fall color.

Frosty around the edges

Macro Monday

A winter wonderland: Thursday Tree Love

There’s a winter wonderland in my yard near Bend, Oregon. My favorite western juniper is dressed up for the season with a few inches of snow.

Snowfall softens edges while sharpening the contrast. It can also mute colors, as it did in this photo. The structure shines through, even on a cloudy day.

Winter wonderland

Thursday Tree Love #138

Snow-capped mountain ash: Thursday Tree Love

Snow-capped mountain ash

Snow-capped mountain ash berries are a delicious dessert for our feathered friends.

Thursday Tree Love

Walking with Winter in B & W: LAPC

Walking with Winter along a River of Falls

Where snow softens hard edges of steel

Walking with winter - Matched pair sculpture

And creates ephemeral works of whimsey

A whimsical snowman

Where snow and ice form furrowed bridges

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The softness of snow: MM, SS, & Six Sentence Story

Peering through a branch-lined portal at the softness of snow.

The softness of snow on junipers

Where frosty starbursts emerge from the desert soil.

Bunchgrass covered in snow

And wise elders rejoice, reaching to the sky with arms contorted by the years. Ancient trees collect the bountiful flakes falling from the sky to share.

Ancient juniper tree near Bend, Oregon

They tuck the next generation under downy crystalline blankets. When spring awakens them, they will change into new beings who will continue the cycle and share the softness of snow.

The softness of snow covering pinecones

Monochrome Monday (MM)

Sunday Stills (SS) – Winter Wonderland

Sunday’s Six Sentence Stories – Change

Canada goose sculpture at dawn: Sculpture Saturday

The sun was rising and it was snowing lightly when I walked by this Canada goose sculpture in Bend, Oregon.

Canada goose sculpture at dawn
Sunrise over Canada goose sculpture

Here’s what it looks like with a bit more snow.

"River Geese" by Peter Helze Mill A Loop Deschutes River Trail Art3 2March2018
“River Geese” by Peter Helzer

This life-size bronze sculpture is by artist Peter Helzer. “River Geese” is part of the Art in Public Places initiative in Bend.

Canada goose pair and gosling 3June2017
Canada geese pair & gosling

There are plenty of real life Canada geese in this neighborhood to keep the artwork company. The Deschutes River, and the Bend Whitewater Park, is directly behind this sculpture.

Sculpture Saturday

First dusting of snow: Monochrome Monday

First dusting of snow Redmond, Oregon

The first dusting of snow covered this old shed near Redmond, Oregon. Winter is on its way to the High Desert!

Monochrome Monday

Resplendent with crystals of snow: LAPC

Winds shift and winter blows
In from the farthest reaches of
North, carried on cold fronts
Turning landscapes into
Enchanted scenes
Resplendent with crystals of snow

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Winter

Spruce Cones in Snow: SMM

Spruce cones in snow

We got some much needed snow in the last few days of our mild winter. This close-up of spruce cones in snow was taken in my yard in Bend, Oregon.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday (SMM)

Ordinary to extraordinary: Monochrome Monday

Even a little bit of snow turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Here are some patterns in the snow I noticed on my morning walks.

Ordinary to extraordinary snow patterns in Bend, Oregon 20 January 2020
Cattails in winter snow, Bend, Oregon 13 January 2020
Ordinary to extraordinary a dusting of snow over pinecones and pine needles, Bend, Oregon January 2020
Snowfall over a brook, Bend Oregon 19 January 2019

Monochrome Monday

Covered in coldness poem: LAPC

Covered in coldness
Obscured from view
Layered in lightness
Dazzling and new

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge (LAPC) – Cold

Nature’s Icing on Christmas

Just enough of Nature’s icing on our wreath to brighten up the holidays.

Nature's Icing on a wreath in Bend, Oregon 2018

“He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.”

John Burroughs

Snowfall makes

Snowfall makes
Mountain ranges on branchesSnowfall on spruce 14Dec2017

Snowfall makes
Stars burst forth belowSnow4 11-24-2015

Snowfall makes
Logs into letterspaulinalk2-4oct2016

Snowfall makes
The roughest spots smoothWinter juniper

Snowfall makes
New tracks in ancient placessnowfall makes Snowshoeing near Mt Bachelor 29March2016