“I know it is difficult to believe in your own courage or fortitude when everything inside of you feels weak and shattered. But do not believe what you feel. You will not be easily broken.” 
― Rachel L. Schade

This has been a brutal start to spring. April, as you may have noticed from my lack of photos, has presented my with conditions that were just plain dangerous or miserable to be outdoors in.

We’ve had rain , and snow, and deep freezes. Just went the temperatures seems to be climbing, they would drop again and the world would turn a muddy gray. If found myself anxiously looking out the window, wondering of this might be the day to get out and explore.

The weather has also paid a toll on the forest vegetation. Plants that should be blooming now are not even emerged yet. And others, surprisingly, are earlier than I would have expected. Yet, that is the nature of nature, always finding ways of getting the cycle back on track. Today, I did find some surprises, which I will be posting later in the week.

Yet, the first item that caught my eye today was this  fluffy seed pod, which, despite a vast 3 day ice storm, two weeks ago, has managed to hold onto its seeds and the fluff is nicely drying, preparing to deliver the seeds to the surrounding forest floor, just as it thaws out. It amazed me how this survived, without being broken off by the elements, which seem to have flattened everything else around them.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mmm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 100

For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com