sirens of winter
Published September 22, 2006 | 
The wind through a dry forest canopy and the water over falls sing with the same voice. Both can pull you in.
In the autumn woods you can get lost in the aromas. The smell of decay in this one instance, is soothing. Rotting oak leaves, black walnut & butternut weave with the subtle scent of the asters and the black tea aroma of sumac. Sometimes it’s all so overwhelming. Yet sometimes there’s nothing. The air is devoid of scent.
Today I realized that wasn’t so. There was something. I could smell “cold”.
The coldest sight in the world is the last few leaves of a poplar tree spinning in the wind against a pale sky. Lie on the ground and look.
The car was covered in frost last night. Now the sun is always yellow. The sky is always deep blue. That is, unless the cold Canadian clouds bring rain. Soon they will bring sleet. I blame the Canadians for winter. . .
I was thinking about that cold day. The one where you set your kayak at the edge of the water and watch the hull crush through the thin eggshell ice that clings to the banks. It won’t be long now.
Sometimes when I paddle in winter I put my hands in the water to put out the flames.
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6 Responses to sirens of winter
Imagine if ‘Manifest Destiny’ had taken place and Canada was part of the USA. Then you’d only have yourselves to blame for Winter! This way, we Canadians can ease your burden of guilt. But look on the up-side: we also bring you skiing and snowshoeing and hockey and all-day-sex-because-it’s-too-cold-outside and… you want more?!
Your photography is just gorgeous, Derrick. Those pictures of clouds and fog look like paintings. Almost makes me want to be in the frozen North instead of sunny North Carolina….but not quite!
I know it’s the photographer, not the camera, but what kind of camera did you use for those?
Dee
Hi Dee,
thank you. The top 3 are with my Optio. The bottom 2 are with my canon 10D digital SLR.
very nice pictures, nice writing too.
Hey!!!! My computer has smellavision. . .koool!!!!!!!!!!
Your top photo and description are brilliant–do you write ad copy for a winery or tea company?
What a wonderful word-photo essay. You captured the mood. You nailed it.