Sun beams
Sometimes, circumstances and conditions converge, allowing for stunning scenes.
Finn and I recently enjoyed just such a convergence. We had the sort of winter day that makes up for all the rainy ones.
Heading for a morning trail run, I figure we'll be in the same thick cold fog that envelopes the house. Instead, at Cougar Mountain we're high enough that the sun burns through most of the fog. The lingering thin layer provides a prism that makes the sun's beams visible as they make their way through the trees.
Running without human companions, I've brought my camera. I love being in the forest with just my canine companion and a camera, because I can stop whenever I want to take photos. My pace is set by what catches my fancy.
Fog, sun, forest trails, my camera and my boy Finn. Perfect combination.
As I'm taking the photo above, another runner and his dog comes down the hill toward us. I point over his shoulder at the sun breaking through the trees, and he stops to look. "Amazing," he says, thanking me for pointing out what he would otherwise have missed because the sun was at his back.
One's direction can make the difference between routine and amazing.
Finn and I press on, heading south around the west side of the park. The winter sun is low on the southern horizon. Every hill climbed, every bend in the trail seems to provide even better perspectives. Finn's getting a little impatient with all the stopping.
As we cover some miles, the denseness of the fog - and the quality of the sunlight - keeps changing.
Fog makes the forest seem quieter, softer, hushing the sounds of bird and squirrels and people. Fog focuses my vision on the immediate trees and ferns, highlighted by the sunbeams, making it all feel much more intimate. It's a big forest, but I feel safely cocooned in it this morning.
Finn and I recently enjoyed just such a convergence. We had the sort of winter day that makes up for all the rainy ones.
Heading for a morning trail run, I figure we'll be in the same thick cold fog that envelopes the house. Instead, at Cougar Mountain we're high enough that the sun burns through most of the fog. The lingering thin layer provides a prism that makes the sun's beams visible as they make their way through the trees.
Running without human companions, I've brought my camera. I love being in the forest with just my canine companion and a camera, because I can stop whenever I want to take photos. My pace is set by what catches my fancy.
Fog, sun, forest trails, my camera and my boy Finn. Perfect combination.
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| Low sun, fog and trees combine for stunning scenes. |
One's direction can make the difference between routine and amazing.
Finn and I press on, heading south around the west side of the park. The winter sun is low on the southern horizon. Every hill climbed, every bend in the trail seems to provide even better perspectives. Finn's getting a little impatient with all the stopping.
Fog makes the forest seem quieter, softer, hushing the sounds of bird and squirrels and people. Fog focuses my vision on the immediate trees and ferns, highlighted by the sunbeams, making it all feel much more intimate. It's a big forest, but I feel safely cocooned in it this morning.