After a few days of heavy rain and darkness, the clouds parted for a short break; allowing the sun to peek through, the droplets to sparkle, and the snow-capped mountains to emerge.
The snow has not yet strayed from the peaks of the mountains, the temperatures still warm enough to keep it restricted to the very top — though any day now, that could change. For now, I am treated to curious tendrils of cloud snaking through the trees along the mountainsides; sinking low, then slowly dissipating to reveal glimpses of the many ridgelines and valleys.
The ground has been soaking up all that long-awaited rain, the creeks and streams slowly, so slowly, beginning to trickle through their long-dry beds. Though we’re in the depths of autumn, with winter just around the corner, the forest is vibrant and green from all the moisture.
Autumn shows itself in other ways; leaves litter the forest floor, collecting in ponds and getting caught in the boughs and needles of the evergreen trees. The ferns have turned to a captivating rusty orange, retaining their beautiful shapes and curves, but looking like an entirely different plant.
It’s a beautiful time in the woods, so near to the long hibernation of winter. I do my best to soak in the feelings, sights, and smells that will soon fade for many months; the feel of spongey moss beneath my feet, the sound of water trickling over smooth rocks, the freedom of straying off the trails and into the deeper forest.
There are flurries in the forecast for the week ahead; I wouldn’t mind a little bit longer to appreciate the fall forest, but we’ve had a truly magnificent autumn so far. If it turns out it will end soon, I can be content with the shift toward winter.
Until next time,
♡ Whitney
I have been slowly working on a few things here in the background; I will have a 2024 calendar available very soon in my shop, I’m awaiting a sample to ensure everything turned out how I envisioned. I will share that with you all when it’s ready. New prints will also be slowly added and I hope to be a little more consistent with my updates there. As always, if there are any photos you see here that you are interested in purchasing as a print, don’t hesitate to reach out — hello@whitneybarkman.ca.
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This whole, beautiful post gave me such a sense of peace. Thank you.
What absolutely gorgeous photography. Where you live is wonderful, those mountains just reach out to you don't they? It looks like a place you can just be, have peace and quiet around you. Thank you for sharing these, I always look forward to seeing what new photos you will share!