Winter Sunrises (and a giveway!)

Every year for the past fifteen years I have set out after the winter solstice to watch the sun rise.  It's the point in the year when the days grow longer... and in December, days get to their shortest.  Sunrise is around 9:30 in the morning so I don't actually have to get up early and hussle.  I am so amazed at how different the sunrises have been!  Let me show you...

That was one year ago.  It was STUNNING.  Above is a zoomed in close up.  Below is the same scene in a long horizontal crop.  That red went on forever.  : )

Christmas Morning, 2011  (click to view larger)

Last winter was completely different.  It was so very dry.  It didn't snow until after the holidays.  Here's me out on a photo shoot in late November!

Here is what the winter sunrise looked like last year.  It was frosty - VERY cold, and very golden.  I don't ever recall a winter so dry.  I've held on to this for some time, contemplating what it would look like in stitches.  Maybe there's not enough color range?  I could play up the lines and textures...

Winter Solstice 2011

This year, we have more snow than ever before.  You've seen this one already from an earlier post.  It's all white and blue and silver, so different from the other palettes!!

Last week - Winter Solstice, 2012

I really enjoyed that morning.  #1: the world did not end.  #2: it was the first day ALL MONTH that my three kids were healthy and in school on the same day.  It was my fist day alone in weeks.  It was like a one hour vacation and I feel so rejuvenated.  I had to be careful though since the snow is SO deep, I was sinking past my knees in some spots.  I should invest in snowshoes!  Oooh yeah...

frosty cattails and tree tunnels

Winter 2010 was spectacular as well.  It was enough snow to make it look like winter, and had all the magical golds and blues, even some pinks in the snow.  The sky was clear.  I snapped a photograph similar to this one that won me $500 in a Canadian calendar contest!

Winter Solstice 2010

Hey!  The calendar is out now in Saskatchewan.  My photo is appropriately "December".  Isn't that cool?  The theme was cultural wonders, and the calendars are free at any SGI office.  I ran in and picked up a couple.  Want one?  Leave a comment and I'll send one out to one randomly selected person.  There are photos from all over the world in this 2013 calendar.  You can view the submissions here.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and peace to all.