2021-The Year in Pictures

 The year in pictures or my favorite ones of the year.  A yearly disclaimer, these are my favorites blended with ones I feel are good images.  Or, at least in my eyes.  They are roughly chronological, but not always, and some I may feel need a title or caption, while others not.  This blog has been floundering for the past couple years, maybe the result of just trying to make it through 24 months of covid, misinformation, ignorance and a democracy teetering.  It's exhausting and I think spending time outside instead of typing will be my go-to excuse.  Maybe I have less to say with words than I do with pictures.  

Cold First Sun of the New Year-Reed Farm

Big Blue Stem on Sturtz Paririe

 

Old Dodge

The Highground-Service Dog Memorial

Symmetry

Beginnings and Endings

The Big Blow-Loyal, WI

Regrowth-Dike 17 SWA

The Golden Hour

Trumpeter Swans-Jackson County

A Boy and his Kite-Reed Farm

Sun Setting-Ashley ND

Big Land, Big Sky- Danzig ND

Beaver Creek Fisheries Area-WDNR

Sky GLow

Simple Elements-Sturtz Prairie

Simple Prayer

I'll wrap this up with my favorite image of the year, a happy accident as we were about to paddle.  Mark seemed to be at peace with just floating, as it should be.  Cold water, dry suits on, and speed and distance of no concern.  Taking in the moment was as good a reason to be on the water.  

Happy New Year.

2020-The Year in Pictures

 7 days late and 7 months or so since my last post.  Seems national tragedy spurs these things.  After yesterdays attempted coup, and make no mistake, it cannot be called anything else, we all will see what today brings.  

For now, maybe some pictures.  I joked yesterday that maybe it wasn't the day to post pretty rime ice photos, but maybe it is exactly the right time.  A distraction from the chaos.  For quite a few years I have published my favorite pictures of the previous year.  They may be my favorites for very different reasons-some may be great photographs, others just a memory or a marker of a different time and place.  Some, just because and I have no other reason than that.  

What follows are kind of in chronological order except the first-I start with a "pretty rime ice" picture.

Rime Ice on "Fragments"  The Highground Memorial Park

Rime Ice at the Tailings Pond-Lake Wazee

Lab on Ice-Reed Farm

Truly Snow Angels

Century Oak

Spring Thaw

This was the start of the lockdown, the pandemic, the failed responses to the first national crisis of 2020 and it didn't have to go the way it ultimately did. 5000 dead in Wisconsin, 350,000 across the country and many who still call it a hoax and refuse to do their part to help.  That yesterday happened doesn't surprise me-it's been building to that with complacency from some of our "leaders."  It was allowed to happen and for some, it was wanted.  For a few images that follow are many long sullen walks as we all take life day by day when so much is out of our control.

 

"Eagle Tree" Reed farm

Cliffs Tractor

Fox pup-Reed Farm

Brook Trout- A return to fishing

Cervus canadensis

Prairie Burn- Sturtz Farmstead

Two Boys-Some sunsets are better than others

Two Boys on Giants Chairs

Perfect Landing

Lake Kaubshine Sunset

Prairie Grass Colour- Sturtz Prairie

7 Hour Rain Delay-FT Flowage

Dead End- Potters Flowage

The Forest for the Trees-Town of Hewett

Bird Dog-Mara with rooster

Ice Devil-Oxbo Pond BRSF

Dark Mode-LeMoine Farm

Fire and Ice- Dike 17 State Wildlife Area

Portrait of 2020- Reed farm