(no subject)

[katallison]

Snowing, snowing, snowing. The blizzard warnings have been scaled back a bit--we'll probably end up with less than a foot total--but still, winter is suddenly here.

There's really no routine seasonal event that makes as abrupt, decisive, and radical a change in one's environment and daily habits as the first big lasting snow. All of a sudden, stepping outside for any reason, even a brief trip to take out the garbage, means shoes-off boots-on and then boots-off shoes-on, and then there's the perpetual clutter of damp footwear by every door, and the need to remember to grab the bag with one's shoes in it before heading off to work. All of a sudden, the time it takes to drive anywhere increases by at least 25%, as one relearns the habits of starting to brake half a block before the intersection, and accelerating verrrry slowly, and entering turns at a crawl. Even the way one walks changes; instead of the casual swinging stride of summer, one relearns the mincing cautious leg-cramping gait of "oh god let me not fall down and look like a doof and maybe break a wrist."

And above all, all of a sudden, the quality of light is entirely different; even on these dim November days, what light there is is reflected and diffused, almost intensified, by the whiteness everywhere. The interior of my house, which has been a dark cave-like den for the past month or so, is suddenly aglow. And here in the city, at least, it won't get entirely dark outside again at night until the snow melts in spring. I find myself looking forward to those mild winter nights ("mild" meaning, say, 25 F) of heavy overcast, when the city lights shimmer up off the snow, reflect back down off the clouds, so that even at midnight everything is dimly luminous.

This year, maybe, I'll get back into doing available-light winter night photography, an enterprise which requires warm clothing and a good tripod, but which can yield lovely and haunting results. Maybe. Right now, though, I'll take a look out, check the forecast, ponder whether to shovel now and then have another entire (but lighter) reshoveling to do later, or wait and do it all later in one strenuous go. And then open up crap-in-progress and give it an energetic poke.

Comments

the haunted snowbank

[kormantic.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see some late night snow photography. I encourage you!

Re: the haunted snowbank

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed--the mere suggestion of those photos has me drooling.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll give it a shot. I *think* I can set long exposures on the digital Olympus, not that I've tried yet. Hmm, where the hell did I put the instruction manual...

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

(cavorts happily)

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Mmm, Kat, you describe this all so beautifully, and you're reminding me of why and how I've come to love winter. Diffuse winter light...

We're not there yet; we had an inch or two back in October, but it melted, and now it's hovering in the fifties with (thank God) today blue skies. November in these hills is a very particular thing. Our leaf season was short this year, thanks to a windstorm followed by the aforementioned early snow, but now that the trees are down to bare twigs the hills take on a November kind of beauty, all muted browns and greys.

I find myself eager for the first good, proper snow, though. Even though I know winter brings other hassles (ice; slow driving; a mudroom cluttered with boots; ordinary tasks like refilling the bird-feeder becoming major enterprises), I love the light and the silence of a good thick snow...

In March, of course, I love it less. *g* But in the spring, at least, there's the consolation of knowing that winter is working its way towards over; now we're in that weird waiting phase, and I'm oddly eager for the waiting to be over.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been feeling like, "Bring it on! Hit me with your best shot!" And, uh, now it has, not that this turned out to be its *best* shot or anything (only about four inches, maybe). But still, more than enough to get us launched.

I always love your descriptions of the weather and seasons in your own corner of the world, and look forward to hearing when and how winter sets in there.

(And having finally shovelled, I'm having envious dreams about your hot tub, you lucky wench...)

[ajinamoto.livejournal.com]

The available light winter night photography sounds gorgeous! I'd love to see some examples.

This may sound stupid but I've always been afraid to walk on ice for fear of falling until I found these spike things you can put over your shoes, boots, running shoes. You sound really loud when you walk on concrete or inside a building, but they're pretty reliable on snow and ice and let you relax while walking.

I must go find mine now, even though my computer weather monitor is telling me it's 63 degrees outside. In November. In Chicago. Extremely confusing.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Bizarre, isn't it, this warm weather? It was just as warm here in New York yesterday, and though I haven't been out yet today, I think it's the same. Kat, your description of the snow made me yearn for it, even though four years of school in Syracuse made me hate the white stuff with a passion. Or maybe it's the episode of "My Life as a Dog" I just watched, in which they are playing hockey on the frozen lake, surrounded by snow drifts. It looked cold, but it looked magical.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Well, it does look like you're in for a cool-down there in Chicago, over the next day or two.

And the spike things! Yes! I used to have a pair of these that I ordered years ago from L.L. Bean, and I have no idea where they've gotten to. Hm, I should really dig through the basement and see if I can find them. Because really, I don't mind falling so much as the constant tension about trying not to fall, which is exhausting. Anyway, thanks for the reminder!

[ajinamoto.livejournal.com]

I have two sets of spikes, I carry one with me all the time during the snowy season.

I hate that stiff-legged walk to, because as hard as I try not to, that's how I end up walking and I know that makes you more likely to fall. With the way your legs feel afterward, you'd at least hope you're toning your legs, but I don't think it works that way.

Yes, cooler weather is heading this way, following the rain that's here. I hope things don't ice up.

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

I just finished the first round of shoveling. I highly recommend doing it in stages as this is warm weather, heart attack snow.

I can tell that I have not been lifting weights at the gym.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Boy, I should've listened to you. That is some heavy, heavy slop out there, and am I ever glad we *didn't* get 8-12 inches of it. Fortunately, my landlord and I did this together, so I only had the front walk to cover, but still, I think I'm going to go crawl into a hot bath for a while and moan.

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is enough to make me miss snow. Almost but not quite enough to make me want to go back and live somewhere that snow happens. But a wonderful reminder of what there is to love about snow.

Thank you.

I'd love to see some of your available-light photos if you do any.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! Yes, I don't think I'll ever stop loving the look of snow, as tired as I can get of *dealing* with it. And if I do get any photos done, I'll post links in the LJ for sure.

[tracy-rowan.livejournal.com]

And the color of the light in the house is enough to make one grateful to have lived through to another winter. Cool and blueish, it feels peaceful to me, but that's perhaps because it reminds me of my childhood and happy winter days at home. Thanks for reminding me.

And yes, about the photography. Not only do I want to see yours, I'm hoping again this year to have the photo op I've been waiting for: a repeat of the snowfall that turned my street into a kind of cathedral with the vaulting arch of tree and snow illuminated from underneath by the street lights. Alas, that will only happen when the snow is heavy and somewhat wet. Wish me luck.

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Best of luck! Though I think getting the wet & heavy snow is probably guaranteed at *some* point. *g* I've just been out shovelling, and man, it's like wet cement here; as soon as it really gets cold (like, tonight) everything's going to freeze solid. I'm very glad I don't have to drive anywhere in the near future.

I've only done night photography with my old manual Nikon, never with one of the digitals, so this will doubtless require some futzing around, but I figure that should keep me entertained through the long winter nights. *g*

[j-bluestocking.livejournal.com]

I hope you do get in some photography -- I'd love to see it.

One of the things I miss here in SoCal: waking up in the middle of the night to see your room filled with that soft, white illumination, even through closed blinds, and thinking, "It's snowed!"

[katallison.livejournal.com]

Yes! It was like that this morning here, and it's something that takes me straight back to childhood, when that light meant "Jump out of bed, get your snowsuit on, and drag out the sled!"

(Nowadays, of course, it mostly means "Snuggle back in under the flannel sheets, and discard any plans you had for leaving the house all day.")