A Frosty Morning In Ann Arbor

Icy Morning

Finally, a morning that I could take a quick run to compose some photos.  After dropping my son off at school, I drove to a nearby park at Burton Dam near AA.  The normally flowing water is now captured in a frozen mass, similar to using a slow shutter speed. 

As I walked down the path from the parking lot, I crossed a bridge over the Huron River to get some frosty shots of the trees and the partially open water.  My fingers were already feeling pain from the exposure while holding my camera and I had only been outside for 4 or 5 minutes.  I would need to make this a fast shoot. The temperature was around 6 degrees.

When I reached the other end of the bridge I came upon two people and a dog running.  I snapped a couple of photos and said good morning.  The guy mentioned something as they were beginning to run across the bridge about my lenses jumping and I didn't understand, until I felt the wave.  The wave of them running made the bridge feel like a bouncy house.  It was kind of fun, but I have to admit the thought of the bridge snapping in two from the cold ran through my mind!

Walking back across so I could go down to the dam, a few of my fingers were so cold that I thought of going back to the van to warm up, but I stuffed them into my pockets and pursued my goals another few minutes.  Once down by the water I came across these snow masses in the water.  Looking closer, I realized they were swans.  They looked so strange, like they were frozen in the water. Sadness began to fill my heart as I thought they had frozen in place, but after stepping closer, they opened their eyes and moved a little.  Ah, I could breath again.  I took a few pix, still worrying about how cold they looked.  I remember thinking when I was a kid I wish I had a big heated barn to take all of the cold animals inside in the world when it was too cold for them.  I guess we never outgrow some fantasies.