I posted a photo on Instagram today, to bid farewell to the glorious colours of autumn as we slide into the long, dark winters nights, winter solstice on the horizon. The photo was taken along Elmcrest Creek in Toronto, and highlighted the abundance of golden, which is really the best way I can describe the intense glowing foliage.  When I posted it though, I then started to think about winter colours. And yes, they're not all a dull grey!

The photograph above was taken in February this year, which along with January, is the absolute peak of winter in terms of cold and snowfall. This photo, and those below, were taken at Colonel Sam Smith Park on the edge of Lake Ontario in Etobicoke, in the west end of the city. It's one of my favourite places to walk, take a break from the daily routine and reconnect with nature. Anyway, my point is, that winter is also full of colours, Not as bright and vibrant as you get in autumn, but there's a lot more than you might at first think. Lots of subtle reds, blues, yellows and even a hint of pink. Apart from the subtle tones in the photo above, I also like the juxtaposition of the drooping leaves on the tree on the right, leading across to the sumac bushes on left, almost bare but for the remaining red flowers pointing skyward.

I must admit that I do spend a lot of time looking at the sky. A flat even colour can be really boring, especially if it's just grey. But a more volatile sky, full of different tones and promise is a completely different matter! On this day, it wasn't a mad sky but it did have a bit of character, which makes all the difference. And in case you're wondering, when I edited these photographs the main thing I did was adjust the brightness and contrast, so no major divergence from the actual scene,

This photo, just gives you an idea of how varied the colours can be when you wander about. I see an array of blues, greys, yellows, reds, orange..... what do you see?

And I've deliberately saved this photo till last. Same place, different day. In fact, it was the day before. No ice on the lake, but look at the icicles around the trees, the snow, the blue sky, the lively clouds and the golden sunset. It's cold, but very soothing. 

So, I think I'm looking forward to winter as another seasonal adventure!