Cherry Blossoms

It's that time of year again...time to make the annual pilgrimage to the Lexington Cemetery to check out the cherry blossoms. The show was a little early this year with the unseasonably warm weather we have had here in Kentucky. I don't expect the blooms will last past the weekend. Even though they had lost much of their vivid pink hue, I loved walking through them with the petals falling in the breeze. I was a week late and about a half hour past the softest light, but managed to get a few decent shots.

These are in another part of the cemetery and are pale in color, but I love the tall canopy.

I have shot these so many times that I give myself a new challenge each year. The last one was trying to get long, dramatic shadows in the early morning light. This year I wanted a starburst shining between the branches. I seem to be terrible at this. The sun was really low in the sky, but I did manage to get a few with the star effect I was going for. Mission accomplished. ;)

March Madness

After seeing so images of tornado devastation, I felt so blessed to be able to wander out in the snow alone yesterday with my camera. I had a deeper appreciation for the beautiful sights and the fact I had a warm, safe home to return to. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the violent storms.

We had our first significant snowfall of the season. At our house, we measured 4-5 inches, depending on where we took the measurement. The kids had a day off school filled with making snow angels, sledding, snowmen and hot cocoa. 

This was the winter wonderland my sleepy street awoke to:

I had to run across the street to get a closer look at a neighbor's tree. Amazing how a few inches of snow can turn something ordinary we take for granted every day into a work of art.

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While most of the kids were still snuggled in their beds, I grabbed my camera and headed for the Arboretum. A retaining basin near a local church caught my eye so I stopped off for a few quick shots.

I was hoping to find some snow-covered early blooms to shoot, but was even more thrilled when a pop of color caught my eye in the near white-out. A different type of March Madness here in Kentucky!

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Blowing snow from nearby branches created a natural snow globe effect. ;)

I have not had much love for cold and snow in recent years. Yesterday it was nice looking at the world again with some of the same awe and sense of wonder my children held in their eyes. I was definitely counting my blessings!