Nature uses snow to create its own patterns. A moderate snowfall like the one that hit Floyd County Thursday night added its own pattern of beauty to the existing trees, shrubs and bushes in our back yard.

Surprisingly, the snow remained pretty much intact on the branches by Saturday. Usually, the wind knocks the accumulation off or some melting occurs but the temperature stayed around freezing and we received a rare second day of beauty.

Too many photographers put their cameras away for the winter, feeling the gray light and stark, monochromatic colors offeer little change for decent shots. That’s their loss. Winter is one of my favorite times. Snow, ice and the sharp contrasts that come from trees without leaves and gray skies provide, I think, opportunity for more photographic exploration.

Depending on the amount of freezing rain and sleet that may or may not drop tonight, the patterns of nature could be altered, but such evolution merely provides more photographic opportunities (along with slick roads, power outages and bruised behinds from falling).