After the Rain

After the Rain, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

A blanket of fog rolled in following a surprise bout of afternoon rain showers.
-Chequamegon National Forest Region; Northwoods Wisconsin

Slim Pickin's

Slim Pickin's, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Two Canadian geese feeding on a breakwater pier in Milwaukee harbor.

Grand View

Grand View, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Looking West towards Devil's Lake on a perfect day from the The Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail on the Eastern part of the Baraboo Range.

Countryside Rays

Countryside Rays, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Taken enroute to Governor Dodge State Park in the driftless zone of southern Wisconsin. Note the stands of three different tree species along the bottom of this shot.

This sunny Friday was particularly humid due to warm temperatures and excessive snow meltoff, which produced well contrasted rays of light beneath the clouds.

Stephens Falls

Stephens Falls, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Stephens Falls is one of the few natural waterfalls in Southern Wisconsin.

-Governor Dodge State Park

Helena Unit Lower Wisconsin State Riverway

Helena Unit Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Helena Unit Lower Wisconsin State Riverway viewed from the Shot Tower and Smelter House at Tower Hill State Park.

The Spring Green water tower is visible on the opposite side of the Wisconsin River on the left-hand side of this photo.

The hills visible in the distance mark the edge of the flat, ancient Wisconsin River floodplain which cut through the hills of the Driftless Zone over the span of several ice ages.

Light of Doom

Light of Doom, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

As the early-summer storm passed, the sky filled with an erie light.

Natures Cycle

Natures Cycle, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

We noticed this perfectly dead mouse after pausing on an overlook for water and to catch a breath. This is one of several different angles I took of the critter, trying to capture the depth of the bluffs beyond and the brilliant blue sky... I'm sure this guy became quick lunch for a crow, vulture, hawk or land carnivore.

Winter Tones

Winter Tones, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The Baraboo Range

The Baraboo Range, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The Baraboo Range consists of highly eroded precambrian metamorphic rock; and is about 25 miles long and varies from 5 to 10 miles in width.

The range is an example of a buried mountain range exposed through erosion, to once again undergo the forces of surface erosion. The rocks are as much as 1.6 billion years old, among the oldest exposed rocks in North America consisting mainly of pink Baraboo quartzite and red rhyolite.

The Wisconsin River, previously travelling in a north to south direction, turns to the east behind it before making its turn to the west towards the Upper Mississippi River. The eastern end of the range was glaciated during the Wisconsinian glaciation, while the western half was not, and consequently, marks the eastern boundary of Wisconsin's Driftless Area.

Positive Contrast

Quartzite Pillar, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Bright fall foliage nicely contrasts this otherwise muted and foggy afternoon at Devil's Lake. A pilar of Baraboo purple quartzite towers nearly 500 feet above the lake's surface.

Last Rays of Warmth

Last Rays of Warmth, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Winter sun set on a frozen Lake Mendota.

Prehistoric View

Prehistoric View, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Ancient Wisconsin terrain.

Final Days of Fall

The End of Fall, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

An empty expanse.

Ancient River Valley

Ancient River Valley, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

This time of year, the unique terrain of valleys and wooded hills in this region of un-glaciated Wisconsin helps draws many cross country skiers and snowshoers to this park.

Shot at Indian Lake State Park; Dane County, Wisconsin

Natures Glory

Natures Glory, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Lit by rays of the setting sun, this landscape shows the beauty to be had even in small areas of naturally preserved land.

-Pheasant Branch Watershed preserve
Middleton, WI

Setting Color

Setting Color, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

As the sun dips, the color rises.

Golden Sundog

Golden Sundog, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

22° halos form when the sky contains millions of poorly oriented ice crystals. Some of these happen to be aligned perpendicular to the sun light as viewed by one observer which produces the illuminated 22° circle, while other crystals produces the same phenomenon for other observers.

Like other ice halos, 22° halos appear when the sky is covered by thin cirrus clouds containing the ice crystals which causes the phenomenon. Small colourful coronas much nearer the sun produced by water droplets can occasionally be confused with 22° halos. -Wikipedia

Close to Paradise...

Close to Paradise..., originally uploaded by jw_creations.

.... except with a windchill of 5-degrees fahrenheit!

Cruising Along

Cruising Along, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Windswept Ice
Lake Mendota, Madison, WI

Iced Gleam

Iced Gleam, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Wisconsin Heritage

Wisconsin Heritage, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Sunset at Devil's Doorway

Sunset at Devil's Doorway, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

A Poor Day For Golf

A Poor Day For Golf, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Thanksgiving Day 2007
Maple Bluff Country Club
Madison, Wisconsin

Distant Rain

Rain in the Distance, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge State Park, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Natural Bridge and Rockshelter contains the largest natural bridge known in Wisconsin, created by wind erosion and weathering of the sandstone. The arch measures 25 feet in width and 15 feet in height on its inside dimensions. The top is 35 feet above ground level. At the base of the sandstone bridge is a rockshelter 60 feet wide and 30 feet deep. A partial excavation at the site revealed Woodfordian and Archaic inhabitant artifacts with earliest estimates of human occupation between 9000 and 8000 B.C. Animal remains identified include 15 mollusk species and 50 vertebrate species. Of special interest are the remains of passenger pigeon, turkey, elk, wolf, bobcat, fisher, marten, and mountain lion. The surrounding uplands are wooded with oak and other hardwoods. Small prairie remnants with Indian grass, little blue-stem, grama grasses, and cactus occur on the ridge tops. The shaded cliff community contains many unusual plant species including walking fern, slender lip fern, and two rare species - cliff goldenrod (Solidago sciaphila), and purple cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea). Natural Bridge and Rockshelter is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1973.

Purple Quartzite

Purple Quartzite, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The quartz grains that formed the original sandstone appear to have come largely from erosion of the Penokean Mountains to the north. These mountains formed about 1.85 billion years ago in the Early Proterozoic Eon, and the sandstone seems to have been laid down in the subsequent 200 million years. This was then subducted into the earth where pressure and heat transformed before after millions of years it rose to the surface as the colorful quartzite we see today.

The Colors of Nature

The Colors of Nature, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

From the East bluff trail at Devil's Lake, Lake Wisconsin is clearly visible to the east. You can view the full-size original by adding me a contact on Flickr, and then by clicking the 'All Sizes' button.

Skeleton Hauntings

Skeleton Hauntings, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The skeleton-like limbs of leafless trees hung eerily over this moody wooded path.

Fall in Wisconsin

Good Genes, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Snow Laden Pines

Snow Laden Pines, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Perfect Day for a Picnic

Opposite Shore, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Looking down towards the South Shore at Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin.

South Shore

Half-way Finished!, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Devil's Lake - Baraboo, Wisconsin

Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin

Reflection Congestion, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Rocky Arbor State Park

Rock and Wood, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Rocky Arbor State Park is a 231 acre Wisconsin state park in the Wisconsin Dells region. The park was established in 1932 to protect sandstone outcrops eroded into picturesque walls and ledges.

The region is formed from Late Cambrian sandstone deposited 500 million years ago at the bottom of shallow inland seas. Much later the Wisconsin River flowed over this tract of land, carving channels into the sandstone. The river has since changed course, now running 1.5 miles to the east, leaving the rock walls of its former gorge exposed. A small creek now flows through the park, though in the opposite direction as the river once did.

Circus World Museum

Circus World Museum, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Shot at a company anniversary party in Baraboo, WI.

Cloudy Summer Sky

Cloudy Skies, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Golf Course Reflections

Reflections, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Maple Bluff Country Club in Madison, WI

Above the World

Above the World

Looking east from the West Bluff of Devils Lake miniaturizes beach-goers and the park pavilion. Climbing several hundred quartzite steps and hiking hundreds of feet of steep path lead to this outlook, which surprisingly is one of the lowest lookouts on this trek.

The other photos of Devils Lake were shot from the beach, below, and from the adjacent side of the lake, the East Bluff Trail.

Indian Lake State Park

Indian Lake Park lies at the edge of the un-glaciated or 'drift-less' area of southwestern Wisconsin. Here, features of both glaciated and un-glaciated land are prominent. The steep slopes of exposed rock indicate that this valley was never completely covered with ice. Yet the large boulders found in the draws and on the valley floor could only have been brought here by a finger of ice, which fanned out from the main body of the glacier.

Indian Lake is one of many shallow kettle lakes in this area, created when the glacier retreated. The out-wash plain by the lake was formed when glacial melt-water carried large quantities of silt and sand into the valley.

Plant life at Indian Lake is very diverse. The cool north-facing slope along the lake is dominated by paper birch, while on the hilltops ancient gnarled oaks are being crowded by younger hardwoods. An abundance of brambles and aspens indicate logging and grazing once took place in the woods.

For several hundred years Indians camped at the southwest end of the lake. During that period, the slopes on the hills above were quite open and covered with prairie grasses and wildflowers. Frequent fast-moving prairie fires helped keep these areas free of trees. When settlers stopped the fires, trees began to fill in the open spaces. Today only a few small patches of prairie remain on the very dry southwest-facing slopes.
- Description taken from Dane County Natural Historical Marker (see photo in set)

Sundown at Devil's Lake

Sundown at Devil's Lake, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The Amphibian

Newts?, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Amphibians are classified as a species of animals that include all living tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates) that do not have amniotic eggs (which is the innermost membrane which encloses the embryo of a mammal, bird, or reptile), have bodies which are regulated by the environment (i.e. cold-blooded), and generally spend part of their time on land. Another well-known trait is the ability of amphibians to breath through their skin.

Although only around 6,000 species exist and have been documented, dramatic declines in amphibian populations, including population crashes and mass localized extinction, have been noted and observed over the past two decades in locations all around the globe. Many scientists believe that because of the amphibian sensitivity and vulnerability to the environment, they are thought to be one of the telltale precursors to the effect of mankind on the Earth.

Purple Skies

Purple Sunset, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Hole 12

Hole 12, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

In the Clouds

In the Clouds, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

It may sound odd, but fog is itself a cloud in contact with the ground, and technically only differs from other clouds in that it touches the surface of the Earth.

Fog forms when water vapor in the air at the surface begins to condense into liquid water. Fog normally occurs at a relative humidity of 100%, and this can be achieved by either adding moisture to the air or dropping the ambient air temperature. A reading of 100% relative humidity does not mean that the air can not hold any more moisture, but the air will then becomes known as supersaturated.

Lake Monona

Summer Afternoon, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

This body of water of water known as Lake Monona is a freshwater drainage lake in Dane County, Wisconsin. It is the second largest in a chain of four lakes along the Yahara River (the other lakes being Mendota, Kegonsa, and Waubesa) in the area, and forms the south shore of the isthmus on which downtown Madison lies. The name 'Monona' is a Chippewa word believed to mean 'beautiful', although the lake was originally named by the Winnebago 'Teepee Lake'.

Lake Monona covers 3,274 acres and has a mean depth of 27 feet and a maximum depth of 64 feet. On average the lake holds about 28 billon gallons of water and is fed by three tributaries (small rivers or streams); the Yahara River, Starkweather Creek, and Murphy Creek. Monona is also home to many fish species including bluegill, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskie, northern pike, and walleye.

Interesting also is that Otis Redding and a few crewmembers ("Sitting on the Dock of the Bay") died when his plane crashed in Lake Monona on December 10, 1967 during a storm en route to a concert in Madison.

Optical Phenomena

Rainbow over the Bluff, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Rainbows can be observed whenever there are water drops in the air and sunlight shining from behind the observer at a low altitude or angle. Although more rare, a moonbow, or lunar rainbow, can be seen on strongly moonlit nights. However since human visual perception for color is poor in low light, moonbows are most often perceived to be white.

The rainbow's appearance is caused by dispersion of sunlight as it goes through raindrops. The light is first refracted as it enters the surface of the raindrop, reflected off the back of the drop, and again refracted as it leaves the drop. The overall effect is that the incoming light is reflected back over a wide range of angles, with the most intense light at an angle of 40°–42°. The angle is independent of the size of the drop, but does depend on its refractive index, or how much a material bend's light which passes through it's boundary. Seawater has a higher refractive index than rain water due to salt minerals, so the radius of a 'rainbow' in sea spray is smaller than a true rainbow. This is visible to the naked eye by a misalignment of these bows.

A rainbow does not actually exist at a particular location in the sky. It is, instead, an optical phenomenon whose apparent position depends on the observer's location and the position of the sun. A rainbow does not actually exist at a particular location in the sky. It is, instead, an optical phenomenon whose apparent position depends on the observer's location and the position of the sun.

Fire in the Sky

Fire on the Horizon

The red color in the sky at sunset (and sunrise) is due to an effect called Rayleigh scattering. There is a similar form of scattering called Mie scattering, which is responsible for the white color of clouds.

Particles in our atmosphere that are approximately the same size as the wavelength of visible light cause the white light from the sun to scatter and split into individual components. Oxygen and Nitrogen (the main components of our atmosphere) scatter violet and blue light due to their small size. This is why the sky appears to be blue in the daytime, especially at mid-day when the Sun is closest to us.

During sunrise and sunset the distance that the light has to travel from the Sun to an observer is at its greatest. This means the a large amount of blue and violet light has been scattered so the light that is received by an observer is mostly of a longer wavelength and therefore appears to be red.