January 10, 2010 by
rusticroads
Here is a different version of Snow Zebra I I posted yesterday – a completely different photograph, actually, from a different perspective and converted to black and white (which this scene basically is, anyway, except for the sky). I would be interested in any comments as to which of these two images you prefer —

Snow Zebra II
Today I’m going to put up another photograph taken on my recent snowshoe outing to Franklin Creek Nature Area. This is just to prove to some people that all of Illinois is not one big wind swept cornfield! (although, admittedly, it mostly is). I really like Franklin Creek – it’s not as large or impressive as, say, Starved Rock or Mathiessen State Parks, however it is consederably less developed and less traveled. I plan on becoming a regular visitor of this area!

Franklin Creek - January 2010
January 9, 2010 by
rusticroads
We’ve gotten some good snow over the last few days, so I decided to go snowshoeing at the Franklin Creek Nature Area sixty miles west of Batavia, despite the near zero degree temperature! I could have probably got by without the snow shoes, the snow depth was right at the boarder between needing them and being able to get by with boots. Great day, had the place to myself – and got a few good photos. Here is one with lots of shadow/striations, “zebra snow”. I took a bunch, I knew these would be great, it’s just a matter of finding the best one. That’s why I labeled this Snow Zebra I – there may be more! This is what I came up with on my first look at the photographs:

Zebra Snow I