April Snowshowers Bring Unhappy WI residents

You'd be mistaken if you thought this scene was photographed in January. No, it was photographed yesterday in Madison, Wisconsin. A record 7.2 inches (18.3 cm) fell yesterday - just when the snow from the weekend's storm was nearly melted. 

Although I wasn't happy to see the snow, I felt compelled to brave the elements and take some photos.

A snowy tunnel

While walking to Tenney Park, I spotted these two taking a spring/winter swim. While they might be pining for summer, I'm just eager for spring to be here. 

Oh well.

The good news is that within a few days, the snow should be gone. This better be the last time.

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Rainy Day Walk through the Woods

Despite the best of intentions, my family was unable to get together to hike this autumn. Weather was the main culprit, with many of the last weekends being rather rainy and unpleasant. A busy, diverse schedule was the other reason. Yesterday, my brother and I went to my parents' house anyways. Despite the rain, I went for a quick walk in their woods. Although there were no vibrant reds or oranges, the golden yellows still beckoned to me - even in the overcast conditions.

via Instagram

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Sunshine at the Sunflower Farm

A friend and I were eager to visit the sunflowers at the Pope Conservancy Farm, located just a short distance from Madison. Upon entering the parking area, I was already impressed; the large swath of grassed land was trimmed and had white lines painted to show denote parking spaces. A traffic attendant directed people to available parking spots. Signs indicated where we were to proceed. A few sprinkles on the windshield, we grabbed our rain jackets – just in case. As we walked up the slight incline to the sunflower field, I noticed a weak patch of blue amidst the very overcast skies. Perhaps things will change, I thought....

Neatly clipped paths led us along the outer perimeter of the sunflower fields. Every so often, some short sections of the field were cleared so visitors could walk into the field just a bit and take photos. Some took photos of their family; others selfies, and still others focused on the sunflowers. The nearly 500,000 plants were just waiting to be photographed, their heads proudly facing the sun. As we were putzing around taking photos (it's nice to be along with a fellow artist; both are eager to explore and take photos, rather than being bored after a minute or two), I noticed that the sky became increasingly more blue.  

Soon, the clouds had dissipated, and the sun was free to cast its glow on the yellow petals. The nine acres of sunflowers made such a beautiful sight. What a great place for sneaking in a photo of myself!

Bees were busy flitting from sunflower to sunflower, whose heads were heavily laden with pollen and ripe with nectar. Zooming in gave opportunities for capturing other views.

The clipped paths led visitors along fields of corn, soybeans, and prairie. 

A few monarchs were spotted fluttering about, landing on various wildflowers.

What a great place to spend the morning with a friend!

When talking with some volunteers at the site, I learned that the Conservancy is a popular place for school trips. Students (grade 4 is a popular year, as this grade focuses on Wisconsin history) have many opportunities to learn about how Native Americans and early settlers used the land and the types of crops they raised. Some thematic gardens had informative signs and some artifacts were also present. I learned that the seeds from the dried plants are harvested in late November or early December. 

The Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy help the farmer (see farm in the distance) through the sale of sunflower seeds to the public. Interestingly, nearly a third of the crop will have already been eaten by birds prior to harvest – nearly 4,000 pounds of snitching! 

There still are a few more days left to Sunflower Days (Aug 12-20). If you're in the area, come and visit! Great for the whole family!

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Ice Trails

With the rather dreary weather and melting snow, I decided to look for some different patterns in nature. While walking over a bridge at Tenney Park, I noticed the intriguing linear patterns created by the ice below.

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Sunrises (and Sunsets) of Arizona

With my time in Arizona setting like the sun, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate this post to its sunsets (and sunrises). Although I've seen some beautiful sunset(rises) elsewhere, the dramatic colors and frequency of such brilliant displays seems to occur at a much higher frequency.

So what causes these brilliant skies? When the sun sets, light shines through more of the atmosphere, when compared to when the sun is higher in the sky. The light is bent, refracted, and reflected from tiny particles in that atmosphere. A lower frequency results in more warmer colors. 

Beyond the basic science, what makes Arizona's sunset(rises) so spectacular? Due to less moisture in the air, the clouds here are much higher. Such higher clouds reflect more light, with dramatic colors. 

With reduced levels of pollution, more variation in visible light can be seen, particularly those vibrant colors at the far end of the spectrum. It seems that dust (and pollution) actually diffuses or scatters color, resulting in a dull or muted sky. 

The presence of high clouds also greatly chances the chance of  dramatic sunset. These higher (and middle) clouds help intercept unadulterated light. 

I like how the higher clouds in the photo above reflected the orange color, making it appear as if those clouds were on fire.

For those willing to get up earlier and deal with the cooler early morning temperatures, the winter and fall months provide rewarding painterly effects.

Boo - back to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin!

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A Few Leaves Left

Gone is the colorful foliage that was painted over the Wisconsin landscape. With a few exceptions, most are like the tree in the foreground - bare, save for a few scraggly dried-up leaves, clinging to the branches.  I'm thankful that no (s)now has yet fallen on my neck of the woods, but I know it's only a matter of time. 

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By the Glow of the Supermoon

Although my photographic knowledge and camera equipment limited me from achieving any spectacular view of the moon, I was determined to produce at least some creative photos incorporating the moon. My current position by Lake Monona prevented me from capturing both the state capitol and moon in the same image. I would have to go elsewhere. 

My brother and I went to Madison's other lake - Lake Mendota. The small parking lot at the beginning of Picnic Point was full. I guess other people also took advantage of the mild temperatures to enjoy the full moon. Navigating by the bright moonlight, we walked along the path towards the tip of the peninsula, passing by other walkers and some young people who were enjoying campfires at several designated sites. Several women spoke excitedly in Chinese as they pointed to the city skyline, naming some of the city's landmark buildings.

The moon was quite high in the sky, but the bare branches added some creative framing for the night scene. Thanks, brother, for patiently putting up with my night photography!

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A Web of Pearls

With a thick fog enveloping the neighborhood, I knew that capturing I would not be capturing autumn colors on my morning walk. Instead, nature granted me a different photographic subject. The intricate strands of pearls simultaneously emphasized a delicacy as well as the strength the web must have had in order to withstand such weight. 

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China Lights in Wisconsin

When living in Seoul, South Korea, I eagerly looked forward to the Lantern festivals which took place at the Cheonggycheon stream as well as the parade of the Lotus Lantern Festival. I loved seeing how illuminated sculptures formed from wire frames and hanji paper could display such elegant beauty. 

Upon hearing that the Boerner Botanical Gardens was having a China Lights Festival, I knew I must attend. Despite the rain, my friends and I traveled from Madison to Hales Corners (near Milwaukee); by the time we arrived, the rain had just stopped. In compensation for the cancellation of some opening events and muddy pathways, we were allowed to hold onto our tickets and return another time. Being hardy paid off! 

When we began to walk through the gardens, it was still rather light outside. It enabled us to see the natural flowers and landscaping, but the colors of the silk-covered displays were not as dynamic.

Soon, the night darkness arrived, enabling the China lights to shine forth in glory. 

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After the Rain

In Wisconsin, we've been getting quite a bit of rain these past few weeks. Although the Madison area did not have the flooding that occurred last week in other areas of the state, it still affected things. With the skies temporarily absent of precipitation, I decided to walk over to the nearby Olbrich Gardens. I loved the way the night's weather transformed the petals, leaves, and spiderwebs.

The petals here reminded me of the scales on a dragon's wing.

Raindrops beaded up along the veins of the elephant ear plant.

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Drops of Autumn Pearls

The last several weekends have been wet ones in Korea. Unfortunately, this coincided right with some peak autumn colors. My plans for capturing the leaves with early morning or late afternoon light went right out the window. 

Equipped with a rain jacket, I took a few photos of some of the trees on our school campus. I loved the complimentary colors of this image.

 Raindrops collected and beaded up on the branches like pearls.

Even the puddles had their own beauty.

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Bongwonsa Through the Seasons

One of the advantages about living vs. just traveling to a place is that you have the opportunity to revisit places. This is especially advantageous when a location experiences distinct seasons. Posted are a few photos I've taken of Bongwonsa Buddhist temple in Seoul, located near my school. Which is your favorite season?

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Fire Stormy Sky

This evening, right before nightfall, I happened to glance out of my condo window and spotted this beautiful sky. Courtesy of a thunderstorm, the warm fire sky was a sight to behold.

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