Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Wandering Camera – Yosemite Birthday Surprise

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

Hello Everyone! Welcome to this month’s Wandering Camera.  Winter is full of birthdays at our home.  Mine was in early January.  I like to spend it quietly hiking with my camera, and eating my favourite meal cooked by my husband.  This year he got me a pair of snowshoes, and, serendipitously, there was a huge snow storm just a few days before my birthday.  Naturally, I had to spend it at Yosemite.

 

 

Yosemite Badger Pass Snowshoe Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

I wanted to snowshoe on my birthday.  However, a change of weather in turn changed our plans.  We ended up going to the Badger Pass snowshoe trail the day after.  It was a crisp, cold and sunny day in the snow with a lot of smiling faces.  We seem to be always the last ones to get off the trail.

 

 

 

Yosemite Badger Pass Snowshoe Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

One of these days I will learn to leave the mountain trails before darkness falls.

 

 

 

Yosemite Hoarfrost Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The next day, we were at the park before sunrise.   The temperature that morning was -11C.

As we were wandering about,  we noticed that all the trees in a meadow had turned white with Hoarfrost.  It forms at very cold temperatures.  We promptly put our snowshoes on, and went off walking in the knee-deep snow to the grove of trees to see them up close.

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

The low winter sun was shining behind the tree branches,  reflecting lights from a myriad frosty diamonds.  It was breathtakingly beautiful. 

I wish I had brought some soap water and straw, could have tried making ice bubbles.  Something to look forward to next time!

 

 

 

Yosemite Black Oak Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The last morning there I wanted to spend in a little more time in the snow before heading out.  “A little more” ended up being close to two hours.  As my husband said, it was hard enough to keep me away from snow before.  Now with the snowshoes, I was unstoppable.  One last look and a last photo, then it was time for the drive home.

 


 

 

The Birthday Surprise

 

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The weather forecast for my birthday was cloudy skies, but no rain.   Then, all of a sudden in the afternoon, it started to rain and then snow began to fall.    I was out of the car faster than a lightning bolt, beelining for the trees.

There was a not a single grown-up in the vicinity, only children playing.  I felt very happy to be part of that group.

 

 

 

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

When we left the trees,  the storm clouds started to break on the north side.  If we were there, we would have seen the most amazing post-storm pink and red sky.   However, with the time it would have taken us to get there, we would likely have missed the light completely.  So we decided to drive into the clouds instead.

 

 

 

Yosemite Gateway To the Valley View Winter Mist and Storm Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

I could not have been happier.   Blue hour in winter is my most favourite time for photography.  That day, Mother Nature added storm clouds and mist, and this birthday girl was over the moon. 

After setting up the camera, I watched the clouds and the mist flowing and playing in the meadow and the mountains behind until complete darkness surrounded us.   My surprise birthday present from Mother Nature. 

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Once we got back to the hotel, my husband gave me the other set of birthday gifts.  Then he busied himself with cooking while I played with my newly-acquired inks and pens.

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

The Dragon and the little boy

 

This is a painting I started with the fountain pen inks I got for my birthday.  A story for another day.

 

 

 

Yosemite Gateway To the Valley View Winter Mist and Storm Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

March marks the end of outdoor time for me due to severe pollen allergies that cause chest constriction.  Until October, fresh air is basically off limits except for a very limited time early in the morning when the air is completely still.

Spending a birthday in cold winter rain and snow and walking in -11C temperatures is probably not most people’s cup of tea, but it was a flask-full of tea for me!   You will have to excuse me for being head over heels in love with the subtle and quiet beauty of winter and all that is considered dark and gloomy weather. 

 

I look forward to seeing your photos and reading about them.

 

Wandering Camera art and photo linky party @ InkTorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Wandering Camera starts on the last Thursday of every month.  Photos, art and creative-themed posts, including other linky parties are all welcome.

You can continue to link up multiple posts.  

Please add a link back to this website. 

Have fun!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

Leave a comment

 

Wandering Camera – Quad And Divinity School, Oxford

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

Welcome to this month’s Wandering Camera!  For my new readers, Wandering Camera is a linky party hosted here on the last Thursday of every month.  I usually share my photos, and occasionally artwork too, and I welcome you to share any photos or creative posts here.   I have been sharing a few photos from the Oxford university area, along with a bit of related architectural history.

 

 

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

On the last post, I wrote about the Catte Street area.  I would like to continue the journey from there.  Right across the Sheldonian theatre is the Divinity School.  The door in the middle of the large windows was inserted by Christopher Wren in the 1600s for easy access between the two buildings.

 

 

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The Divinity School was built over multiple decades as a lecture hall in the 1400s .  I really fell in love with the large windows in this room. 

 

 

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The gorgeous vaulted ceiling was designed by Willam Orchard, an English Gothic architect.   The building is attached to the Bodleian Library.  The beautiful ceiling  supports the old library upstairs.

 

I won’t bore you with the architectural details, but simply let you enjoy the photos.   The entirety of the ceiling is carved with images.   Please click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

 

 

 

The entry to this beautiful hall is through the Old Schools Quad on Catte Street.

 

 

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The tower of the Quad is the main entrance to the Bodleian Library and is known as the Tower Of The Five Orders. 

 

 

Divinity School, Oxford, England @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The ornamentation of the tower is based on the five orders of the classical architecture, hence the name.

 

 

Here are a couple of detail sketches from my travel journal. 

 

 

Divinity School Oxford Englad watercolour painting @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The Window of the Divinity School

 

 

 

Schola Astronomiae et Rhetoricae Bodlein Library Old School Quad Oxford England watercolour painting @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

One of the many faces in the Old School Quad.  This one was at the doorway of Schola Astronomiae et Rhetoricae, also the library gift shop.  The names later appeared in one my paintings – The Magician’s Bookshelf.

 

 

I really wish I had a lot more time to take in all the details.  However, as is the case with international travel, one is always pressed for time.  A four-hour drive to the City Of York was ahead of us, and I still wanted to stop by Exeter College.  So I tore myself away from here and started to walk toward Turl Street.

 

I am a little behind with replying to emails and visiting you back, but I am hoping to catch up within the next few days.  If you have not heard back from me, my sincere apologies.

 

Here are my previous posts and photos from Oxford, England, 2016 –

 

Christ Church, Oxford Part I

Christ Church, Oxford Part II

Magdalen College, Oxford

Catte Street, Oxford

 

 

Wandering Camera art and photo linky party @ InkTorrents.com by Soma Acharya

 

Wandering Camera is a monthly event that runs on the last Thursday of every month.  If you follow me via email, you will get a reminder.

All photo and art/creative-themed posts are welcome.  You can continue to link up multiple posts.

Please add the badge or a text link back to this site on your blog, or on each post that you link up.  I look forward to seeing your photos.

Have fun!!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

Leave a comment

 

Enter your email to receive new inspirations, product reviews and pro-tips
icon
error: Content is protected !!