Walking in the Boreal Forest

This week I spent a few days staying with friends at Dan's cabin next to Goose Creek, which is typical Boreal Forest habitat. It was the tail end of the Fall season and most of the trees had already shed their leaves.

Most of the land is privately owned and there are signs like this scattered throughout the forest. I dont think most people pay much attention to the signs.

The forest was pretty quiet this time. We saw no other people and very little wildlife. No mammals, and only a few chickadees, redpolls,  magpies, ravens, and two Steller's jays.

Since there was no wildlife to photograph, I was challenged to find ways be creative with my photographs of the forest. I like to concentrate on a mouse's eye view of the forest floor.

The base of a Birch Tree often looks quite different than the rest of the trunk.

At first I thought this was some strange kind of fungus. It is a plant with it's leaves curled inward against the frosty weather.

I believe these are Willow leaves. They are rimmed with ice crystals.

These are black Cottonwood leaves in the morning light.

Highbush Cranberries and a frozen dew drop.

This is my favorite photo of the trip. I like this early morning view of Goose Creek with it's soft atmosphere..

This rock was included in an earlier post this summer. It was used in a small, and mediochre loon painting. The rock looks far different in the late fall than it did in mid Summer.

Another moody photo.

There were two spawned out Silver Salmon left in the creek.

A simple photo of sunlit grass. I tried to find unconventional perspectives of conventional subjects, but my approach is hopelessly mundane. My limitations are caused by my own impatience, and lack of photographic knowledge. However I am improving ever so slowly. No doubt I will use some of these photos in future paintings.