IMG_01471, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

drops, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

The ice is melting.

IMG_0136, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

After our wonderful weekend, we had an ice storm. I missed the chance to take photos of the ice in the trees and hanging from things, but I did take some photos in shady places.

perch, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

This wooden bird guards the back of our yard… and bothers our dog. =) I liked the branches in the background.

frozen, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

The top of the pond - frozen over, partially thawed, and frozen again. Dog prints and frozen twigs - it’s interesting how those can coexist. =)

sky, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

I just bought a polarizing filter for my camera. Still playing with it, but I like how it takes the white winter sky and shows some of the blue. I miss the blue so much! One of the worst things about winter is the monochromatic, blah look to everything. Even the sky, which is usually so remarkable out here where it’s so flat.

lines, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

I LOVE finding lines.

snow, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

It’s been snowing a little bit every day for the past week or so. It’s melting pretty quickly the next morning, but it’s always a surprise (you’d think I’d get used to it by now!) to wake up to a fresh blanket.

I did, however, see the snow fall today. See the streaks in the picture?

dof, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

Leah, this one’s for you - you’ve talked about how much you like winter trees.

Hey - click the photo and view this one large - click the All Sizes button, then make sure you’re looking at Large (1024 x 683) - and look at the depth of field. It’s pretty neat - worth the few extra clicks.

on guard, originally uploaded by tara.aukerman.

Jake’s the self-appointed guardian of our backyard. He’s taken to standing just like this - completely motionless - for minutes at a time… just in case some bird or squirrel trespasses.