We recently got our second real storm of the year. I decided that dawn on Saturday would be the perfect time to get out and take advantage of the fresh snow and a clear day to capture a different view of a spot I have visited in the past, the Old Stone Church.
It was an early morning, but I grabbed some breakfast and drove out. As soon as I got close I immediately started getting excited by glimpses of fog on the water. I arrived just before the sun started to peek above the horizon, and the church was framed in a simple, but beautiful, pink and purple sky. The water on this part of the reservoir was completely frozen over, so as a result there wasn’t much fog on this part of the lake and instead I got a subtle reflection.
It was a good start, but at this point I was much more excited about the fog on the water behind me, so I took off down a trail to get a better vantage point. After a couple minutes of walking, I suddenly had this view in front of me. In one moment, the entire trip was worth it.
The clouds were mesmerizing as they slowly moved across the perfectly calm water. As they moved they turned various shades of pink and orange before going back to their normal milky white.
Once the sun was clear of the fog I headed back towards the church, only to come across another stunning view. The bridge over the reservoir had caught the light just right, and was practically erupting with an orange glowing mist. What’s more, while this view beckoned from the left, the church was practically glowing on my right.
Having taken in the sight of the church from afar, I decided to get a closer look so I could take in more of the details. I drove just up the road to the park where the church is and was immediately blown away at how beautiful the trees and surroundings were. There was still a thin coating of ice on the trees which made them practically glow in the morning light.
This kind of scene is one of my favorites, as I am sure I have mentioned before here. I just love how the snow sparkles in the light, the has that crisp clean feel, and a soft silence surrounds you. What’s more, this time I had the morning sun warming me up and I had it all to myself. I made my way around the church and soaked in the details. The snow on the rocks at the water’s (or should I say ice’s) edge especially caught my eye with the wild snow crystals that covered the soft mounds. These must have formed after the snow had stopped falling, but I have no idea how.
There were other strange ice formations as well, including a number of small icicles hanging on sticks and ice shelves near the now frozen water’s edge. Once again, I’m not sure what would create these, but they sure are fascinating.
I’ll leave you all with one little sign of life I came across in the mostly frozen landscape. As I was wandering about the park this little family was diving for something in the open water. I believe these are loons in their winter plumage. Apparently they migrate down from New Hampshire and Maine to winter in this warm and sunny spot. I can’t say I blame them, the view is top notch!
