“Sweet Serenity”/Official New Image Release

Well, I was just out for my first hike of the New Year this past late afternoon/early evening, and I thought what better way to kick off my “Tales from the Trail” Blog in 2020 than with a new image release!

I have a confession to make - I’ve been holding this one, and a few others for that matter😉, for public spectacle until the new year. As I mentioned in my New Year’s Eve post, I currently have 6 new images I’ll be unveiling throughout this Winter. So, to kick it off, I am proud to present “Sweet Serenity”…

This little slice of Winter bliss dates back to March 2017. If you recall, Winter Storm Stella, a Nor’Easter that pummeled much of, well the Northeast. Some of you may know, while others may not - but since I embarked on the journey to whole heartedly chase my artistic dreams in July of 2016, I have also filled in the seasonal gaps by doing Landscape work. Not only does this allow me to continue to “play” outside, but I find the physicality of it, much like backpacking, to be extremely satisfying. Why do I mention this? Well, this Winter of 2017 was when I became involved in this “side work” by helping with snow removal with a local Landscaping company. I love being out in the storms and feeling a part of it all, pushing ones limits and reaping the rewards. However, it can be frustrating when I would love to just be “out there” hiking and enjoying but not wanting to give up the income.

Fortunately, working on a sub-contract basis, I can say yeah or nay certain times if I really want. On this occasion, as Stella was hitting our area in the wee hours of the night and continuing through the next day, I decided I was “unavailable” until noon to give myself a little time doing what I love in the midst of a Winter Storm, rather than simply enjoying the aftermath. This aloted me a few hours of peaceful bliss hiking, rather trudging, through about a foot of snow in an area known as Shingletown Gap in the Tussey Mountain region where I had lived.
I have always found this little neck of the woods, resplendent with Hemlock and Rhododendron tunnels surrounding a babbling brook, to be a Winter haven. I could try and write a million more words describing the scene, but I think you can perfectly see how sweetly serene is the calm and quiet of this snow falling down in the forest. And there is nothing else, there needs be nothing else in this moment of peace.

I would shortly after, go on to help my comrades for roughly 24 hours of snow removal and drifting/ice cleanup for the next 3 days. But all the while, I had this scene of “Sweet Serenity” drifting through my mind.

“Sweet Serenity” - Brandon Kline

Going Out In Style...

         Old Man Winter certainly has given us a good last gasp of his powerful, pristine magic here in the Northeast this week! Winter Storm Stella proved to be no joke on this last official week of the Winter Season! Take it from someone who was out in it for pretty much its entirety - Stella was one of the more prominent Nor'Easter's we have seen in some time, dropping totals ranging anywhere from 8 inches up to 2 feet of snow from the Mid-Atlantic up through New England! And following a good solid day's worth of snowfall on Tuesday came about two days worth of gusting winds, drifting, and blistering cold!

         And what do you know, we may be looking at another round of snow and mixed precipitation tonight... Yep, we may have had somewhat of a strange rollercoaster Winter in many parts of the Northeast in 2017, and though Spring is official come Monday, good 'ole Jack Frost shows us he isn't through just yet! If memory serves correct, this will mark 3 years in a row and perhaps 4 of the last 5 that the Vernal Equinox (or at least bordering the exact day) has been ushered in by a bit of beautiful fresh powder! 

         I love late Winter/early Spring snow.  There is something so pure about witnessing a blanket of soft white snow amidst the trees bearing their budding bulbs.  And even when we do get a bit of a chill and some snowfall, the Sun angle and inevitable warm up are usually quick to make sure it gets soaked into the Earth, which is imperative! That's right, whenever you perhaps want to complain about a chilly day or cool rain over the next month or so, just remember that this is the time of year which affects the health of vegetation more so than any other season all the way to how brilliant the Autumn foliage will be.  A slow progression of warming temps with lots of cool precipitation days helps provide trees and plants the proper nourishment needed for a healthy year!

         Well, enough lecturing for today, haha... But with that in mind, I hope you enjoy this bit of bliss I was able to enjoy during the late morning hours of Tuesday March 14th! I have been working on snow removal with a landscaping crew this Winter and knew I was most likely going to have several hours of shoveling, blowing and salting in my future (23.5 to be exact!), but thankfully I was able to go out for a short hike into the mountains and enjoy a couple hours of sweet serenity beforehand... There really is nothing like the silence and peace during a snowfall!  And hint hint, hidden somewhere in this video may just be a photograph that gets added to my portfolio some day ;-)

                                                                                                                     Brandon Kline

The peaceful bliss captured during a moment of Winter Storm Stella