Summer is coming. Sounds much better than “Winter is coming”, right? Unless you have heard this for weeks already, and nothing shows up. A few nicer days here and there, entombed in sheets of rain, fog and hard wind.
But it is always a pleasure to go out in one of those dry downpours, if only for a few hours.
When it’s not raining, life seems so much better. And I’m not listening to the people who claim, “We need it.” I agree we do need rain, but not only rain.
Medway River
What the rain does bring is large quantities of rushing water. When properly “handled”, this gives nice photo opportunities. When not handled properly, it results in damage and loss of all kinds.
Overflow
A few days ago, I decided to go out, ignore the required car wash after the trip and headed onto roads that barely deserve the name “road”. The fog was fairly thick, visibility reduced to the bare minimum. The above shot of the overflow of a nearby lake was the result.
The fog at work
Herring Cove Lake is in the middle of nowhere. Google Maps shows roads going there, but when you try to take those paths, the car, suspension and tires take a hit. And no, I am not racing over those roads - 15kmh is the most you can do there without ending your car’s life prematurely.
Herring Cove Lake
Instead of torturing my car (too much), I decided to walk a bit here and there, despite the fog and rain. Hiking boots were wet inside and out, but I managed to get some nice shots and some nice soundscapes as well. More on those in my audio blog soon.
Violets in the rain
Down by the water line, I discovered some tiny violets blooming their heart out. As you can see, the water was everywhere, but something about flowers with water drops on them always attracts me. To the point where I even had a spray bottle of fresh water with me to go to the Gardens for flower photography.
Bear Falls
But that was in Winnipeg; here I don’t need that extra water 
. Above is a shot of Bear Falls, a not-so-accessible stretch along the Medway River. For this shot, I was invited onto the land by the owner. As it turns out, he operates a wilderness campground in the summer. I guess I’ll be back there one of these days, when summer shows its face for real.
Wild Rhododendron
Driving around, I came across these purple bushes. These are called Canadian Rhododendrons, a local variety of the bushes in our yard in Holland, where and when I was a kid. Again, these make for nice shots with some water drops.
Tent Caterpillar/moth housing
Some critters do not appreciate the water and protect themselves in a tent. While these tent caterpillars and moths are a nuisance, one cannot deny their craftsmanship in building protection against the elements. Probably also against predators, as no one in his/her right mind would want a mouthful of this before arriving at their main course.
By the time I got this shot, the dry downpour was coming to an end, and it was time to switch on the wiper blades again and head home.
One can only hope for drier times now.
Until next time…