Spring!  

We have all been waiting for it to get here.  It's been a LONG winter, lots of cold and nasty weather.  Lots of people have been waiting to get their shorts on and head to the beach.   

I happened to be in the Baltimore area on the 1st day of spring.  It had been an up and down week weather wise, not too cold (for Baltimore). So, when the weather guys said that on the 1st day of spring there was a chance of snow, I was thinking, "yeah right".  Well, the 1st day of spring arrived (well not really till 6??pm), and I looked out the hotel room at 5:30 am, didnt see anything but some wet roads.  Got a shower got dressed, looked out the window and was shocked to see a good dusting of snow on the ground, and a bunch more coming down.

Had to get to the plant I was working at that day, and by the time I got breakfast and out of the hotel, there was already 1/2 to 1" of snow on the ground.  Got to the plant and to work.  Was working for about 2 hrs while the snow just kept coming down.  Got a call from my co-worker (who happens to be my brother) asking me to bring some parts over to the plant he was working at.  So, got in the van and drove across Baltimore, snow was getting pretty thick in places, the main roads were not bad, but the side roads were starting to look like this.

Snowy roadRoad leading to the plant.

  This was the road leading to the plant I was going to.  It's a little plant way back in a very out of the way area.

Dropped off the parts, and they really didn't need me, so I decided to head back to the other plant.  Told them, I was going to take the "back roads" to try and get some snow shots along the rural roads.  Was hoping for something like a red barn in the snow, or who knows.

The plant I was leaving is behind (yes behind) a youth detention facility, with some out buildings, and trees.  I passed this one, and had to stop and get a shot.

Snow Covered Trees

The field behind it and the heavy wet snow just made this look too cool.

Got about 2 miles down the road and came across this really awesome looking red barn in the snow. Exactly what I had been looking for.  Now, its not like you can just stop and take a shot on a 2 lane road.  There were very few turn-offs so, ended up pulling into a driveway, and walking back (in the snow) got a few different shots, this one below turned out the best.

Long Red Snow BarnBarn in the snow on the first day of spring.

It's a good idea that they paint these things red, or it would have just vanished.

Drove down this same rural road and came across a few more amazing barns (click to see in gallery/purchase a copy!).

Snow BarnBarn in the snow on the first day of spring. Buy LocalBarn in the snow on the first day of spring. Snowy BarnsBarns in the snow on the first day of spring.

All of these were just amazing finds.  Some were REALLY hard to get off the road to shoot.  It was still snowing like mad (you can see the snow falling in a few of these).  

Past a little stream, pulled off into a little area for the "park" (not sure what park was there as all i saw was this little stream).  Walked around trying to get a good angle on the stream.  

Calm Stream

I'm a sucker for reflections (LOVE THEM!) the water was not a smooth as I would have liked, but it was snowing, and a little windy too.  Like the feel of the above shot.  You can almost feel the cold.

Drove past this one farm, and noticed this little pond, with a dock of some kind in the middle.  Had to make a u-turn to get back to where it was, and pull into their driveway, but i think it was worth it.

Broken DockBroken dock on a pond

This is actually (3) shots joined in Photoshop to get one long panorama. 

You never know when you will get an opportunity to get shots unlike the norm.  Take advantage of them!

Even with all these stops I only spent about 45-60 mins more driving back (I call that my lunch break).  

Hope you enjoyed this.  Would love to get your comments and feedback.

David