November 24, 2019 • 68

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #73: Cold

It was so cold I almost got married. ~Shelly Winters

This week, Tina challenges us to visualize “cold.”  No problem!  Unlike most of my family, I have lived in the northeastern part of the United States and the Midwest, so I have spent many winters wearing sweaters and thermal socks.  I pride myself on my layering system–which tells me how many insulated shirts and sweaters and jackets I need to wear for just about any temperature–up to minus 30 degrees F.

Our coldest winters were in New Hampshire, when we lived on the shores of Lake Winnepesaukee.  The lake froze solid from sometime in December through most of April.  During that time, the ice was so thick that it was an authorized landing strip for small planes.  The locals dragged portable shacks onto the ice and set up weekend camps for ice fishing.  Many of these fishing huts were far from rustic.  They were often outfitted with kerosene heaters, collapsible lounge chairs, and kegs of beer.  If you look closely, you can also see cars and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) parked outside the huts.

Winter View, Lake Winnepesaukee, Gilford, NH

Three feet of ice does not result from one day of cold weather. ~Chinese Proverbs

In April, we all waited for the first signs of spring, when huge cracks appeared in the surface of the ice and patches of water appeared.  Locals would bet on the official date of “ice out”–the day when the local cruise ship, the SS Mount Washington could make all its stops in cities around the lake.  This tradition started 135 years ago.  The roar from the cracking ice woke us up at night.

Days Before Ice Out, Lake Winnepesaukee, Gilford, NH

Nothing burns like the cold.~George R.R. Martin

Another unforgettable winter sight was on a trip one winter from Boston to Niagara Falls.  It was so cold that ice crystals formed right above the rushing water–as you can see in the downriver view below.

Downstream View, Niagara Falls, Canada

If the world is cold, make it your business to build fires. ~Horace Traubel

When we lived in the Midwest, we spent a good amount of time in Chicago, which was justifiably famous for its frigid winters and bitter winds.   Still, people found ways to enjoy the cold.   Here, they are skating at Millennium Park.  You can see the skyline reflected in the “Bean” sculpture above the ice rink.

Skating at Millennium Park, Chicago

Love keeps the cold out better than a cloak. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Even now as we travel, we often find ourselves wearing cold weather jackets and boots. This final shot was taken two weeks ago in London during a walk in Kensington Gardens.  The weather was moody–days of damp and cold, which seeped into our shoes and made us crave hot bowls of soup and cups of tea.   I love how these two women were enjoying a walk with their dog despite a cold wind which played with the woman’s scarf.

A walk in Kensington Gardens, London

What does “cold” look like to you?  We look forward to seeing your interpretation of “cold” this week in Tina’s inspiring challenge #73.

Many thanks to those of you who joined Amy’s “waiting” challenge last week.  As always Amy, Ann-Christine, Tina, and I greatly appreciate your support of our challenges.  Next week it’s my turn to host challenge #74, so please stop by!

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday with plenty of delicious food and in the company of dear friends and family.

Categories: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Photography

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68 replies »

  7. The lake is amazing, Patti. I’m with you, I’d rather be nice and warm by the fire than ice fishing. We don’t get anything like it here. In 25 years we’ve had snow flurries only once and it didn’t settle on the ground. -5C or 23F is about as cold as it gets with a frost. I love the Chicago picture too but the skaters don’t look like they’ve got enough clothes on.

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  10. I like the photo of the crack in the ice, Patti. The first time we went into Chicago it was freezing cold with that lovely Chicago wind and people were still skating there. 😦 I too am quite good at layering because I go out and walk most days even when it’s quite cold. The day it was -52 with wind chill, I did refrain! 🙂 That why Arizona will be quite a change!!

    janet

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  13. ok, New Hampshire cold is waaaaay colder than mid state NY. We’d only got to about 12 degrees below F at our very coldest. (Not counting wind chill). Sooooo glad I did not live in NH. 🥶 And for those of you who are not used to cold weather, there is a HUGE difference between minus 30 degrees F and minus 12 degrees F!!

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  14. I like your take on cold – esp the ending one with the dog and walk.
    and speaking of Chicago – there is that joke about that is the city where you can die if you get locked out of your house in winter… ha

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  16. So beautiful, but soooo cold, Patti. Love the ice cracking and the skaters, and ice fishing is common up north here too. I have never tried it though…nowadays the winters bring jumping temperatures and no steady ice as it used to be. Accidents with cars and sleighs going through the ice are not unusual anymore. The ice crystals look amazing!

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  17. I love that photo of the ice cracking, Patti, and the Falls shot is weirdly wonderful. You can guess I’m not a fan of cold. I find it hard to get enough layers together 🙂 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving, hon!

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    • Thank you, Jo! We are celebrating this year with family, which will be great. I’m trying to imagine not having enough layers in my closet. It’s never happened! I hope all’s well with you, too.

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  18. Fab photos! I’ve experienced English winters, but can barely image the kind of cold you’re describing. Here winter means remembering to take a jacket if you’re going out for a while, and trading flip flops for wellies when out in the garden.

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  22. Your NH images really capture what it’s like in the winter. It is crazy to see cars on the “Big Lake” – but they are there. I’ve never been to Niagara Falls – Wow! I enjoyed your photos – where’s my sweater? 🙂

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  23. Pingback: Lens-Artist-PC-73-Cold – WoollyMuses

  24. The skating rink looks like a wonderful place to dance on ice. I also loved seeing the reflection in the Bean. Such a unique and curious sculpture. There are so many layers to this photo. Lovely post, Patti. ❤

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  25. Beautiful photos but the photo which interests me the most is the ice-fishing. It is totally well uh… foreign to me. It actually reminds me of camping (without going for a dip in the lake). Your minus 30 fahrenheit I have also not experience. Actually I have never experienced any temperature in fahrenheit… The coldest I have been is when I took the photos for my post where it was minus 4 celsius (25 degrees fahrenheit)

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