DAJanzen's photostream  

Taken earlier this evening... while strolling along the Fox River. Lovely low sunlight and warm, summer-like feel.

This spring came so early, with a string of 80º+ days already in March! Brilliant greens and yellows and pinks and reds. Deep robin's egg blue skies... and now I'm adding iris lavender and purple to the list.

There's something new out there every day... don't miss it!

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Warm evening sunlight and brilliant spring color... larger and more detailed on black...

Everything in this life has a purpose. And it appears to me that the single purpose of all dandelions... is simply to make many more dandelions. All that's needed is a good stiff breeze to carry the seeds far and wide... and these guys are history. Much like the daylight in the background.

Ah... the circle of life!

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'End of the day' light on the dandelions... larger on white...

After a couple of days in the low 60's and on and off rain... today was sunny again and back up around 85º. Simply gorgeous to be outside!

There has been such an early spring explosion around here... bare branches and drab grays and browns... to the bright yellows of daffodils and forsythia... pinks and magentas of magnolia... reds and oranges of tulips... and flowering trees in every shade of subtle and not-so-subtle pastel. And the perfume of it all on the breeze in one heady spring cocktail!

I cannot remember a March like this in my life... here... or anywhere I've called home, for that matter! And I am thoroughly enjoying it!

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Spring color and detail... larger on black...

Welcome to the first full day of spring, 2012! =)

This March has been unlike any other March I've ever experienced... we've already enjoyed at least six 80º days... and numerous days at 70º+ as well! Truth is, I am completely wrecked now, and will not know how to handle it if the temps drop 30 or 40 degrees to what is usually seasonal averages for us here in the greater Chicago area!

But... in the meantime... glorious spring color – from the brilliant 'first greens'.. to the reds and yellows and magentas and whites of flowering trees – is making its very welcomed appearance a month or so early this year! =) And I'm good with that!

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Glorious early spring color... bigger on black...

An interesting thing... these are the days of limited color in the landscape. And what color there is, tends to be drab and muted. But the lack of color seems to transfer the emphasis primarily on form and texture. Add a fresh snowfall to help shape and bring out all that form and texture... and things take on a unique beauty that in other seasons, can often be harder to appreciate.

I added the blue tones to reflect the true winter environment and chill that the original 'straight out of camera' image fell short of expressing. Felt life. Like I was there again. Beyond the act of 'simply taking photographs'... I love the entire process of creating images!

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Natural form and texture... larger and more detailed on black...