Sunrise in a January Ice Fog

Whining about winter is a waste of time! This morning's sunrise shrouded in ice fog and a wintry Powell Gardens' landscape forced me to grab the camera and savor such a glorious experience. Moments like these are special and to be savored as part of our 525,600 minutes we're lucky to enjoy each year.

Sunrise over ancient oak January, 28, 2011: our ancient White Oak (Quercus alba) just below the sun in this image and below our lake's dam has stood on that spot for well over 150 years.
It is alive and I wonder what the morning brings to it....

The sun's warmish glow through fog behind the two ancient trees in front of the Visitor Center also captured my imagination. The ancient Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) left, is in decline but oaks are well known to grow 100 years, thrive 100 more, decline 100 years and take 100 more years to depart. The ancient tree to the right is a sturdy Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata).

The camera barely captures the essence of bands of ice fog shrouding the grounds -- here with Chapel in the background.

A look to the south is fog free and the waning sliver moon punctuates the icy scene. (Do you know how to tell the moon is waning?)

The Visitor Center ensconced in its woodland grove at the brow of the hill on this wintry morning -- An E. Fay Jones - Maurice Jennings classic piece of architecture.

Here you see the Meadow Pavilion and sweep of meadow on the east hill opposite the Visitor Center. My what a different view this will be in a short time. The meadow will be burned in March to stimulate the billowing prairie grasses and wildflowers for 2011's growing season. What will our summer be like?

I noticed the layers of ice fog were not perfectly horizontal but followed the lay of the land! This image is from the outer part of our parking lot, which is an arboretum of the native trees of Kansas and Missouri. You'll see more species of oaks here then you ever thought there were and future generations will be able to park their cars under their shade.

You can barely make out the Heartland Harvest Garden in the background. What an ethereal moment! The barn is left, corn crib almost center, arbors far right.

This Redbud (Cercis canadensis) silhouette in the morning fog begged a photo. This wonderfully gnarly tree is actually less than 30 years old.

Sunrise over the Trigg Building with Perennial Garden just below... "red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning" is NOT to be today. The forecast is for an exceptionally mild day between 50F and 60F degrees across Greater Kansas City. May everyone take a moment to enjoy this day and come visit the waning wintry landscape of Powell Gardens this weekend. A big thank you to all who have helped make Powell Gardens a reality where such a beautiful garden can be experienced throughout the year.