sand harbor state park

Winding down to winter

Memories of Summer.jpg

As the colorful fall slowly slips into the grey gloominess of winter in the Pacific Northwest, I often look back at the archives of the summer wonderlands of the country to help tide things over until the next blast of sun. Not only does it help with the Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder, it also gives me something to look forward to for the next year.

I found this grey gloominess to be a challenging change as I moved from California to the PNW. While it makes the summer ever so glorious, I miss the ability to go outside year-round as I did in the Golden state. While I can still enjoy quiet winter moments in the snowy woodlands of Cascadia, it quite doesn't compare to the stimulating freedom that the southwest offered.

It is time for another winter here. So here is a blast from the past summer: the crystal clear sparkling waters of Lake Tahoe

Sand Harbor State Park

NV USA

Sunset at Bonsai Rock

Ever since I had first seen images of the Bonsai Rock in Lake Tahoe, I was taken away by the location and the context of where it was: imagine a granite boulder smoothed by eons of water erosion resting on the shore of a azure blue lake surrounded by snow-capped peaks. And then imagine tiny sprigs of life taking root on the nooks and crevices of this tiny boulder. That is the spectacle of Bonsai Rock.

At first glance from the road, it may not have been much, but as I scrambled my way on the rocky shoreline down to the water-level, the profile of the bonsai rock grew even more predominant and striking. While the scene and the setting was perfect, the sky, on the other hand, was just bland. I strapped on a Blue-and-Gold Polarizer to add some unearthly colors to this scene, resulting in this exposure above.

Surreal reflections and colorful sunsets will have to wait another day.

Sand Harbor State Park
NV USA