Spring Shadows

The great blue herons had arrived along with the red winged black birds and an increasingly larger number of ducks and geese. The sounds of spring were certainly in the air. The temperatures were above freezing and it was time to get back into plein air painting. This is my first plein air painting of the year. The winter was abnormally cold and snowy compared to our recent history. Most people would find it hard to believe that this winter is actually a result of global warming and a weaker jet stream. The jet stream has weakened by about 15% in the last 15 years as a result of the warming Arctic.
As the morning warmed, the icy snow was no longer stronger enough to support me and I would suddenly drop a foot or two to the harder ground underneath. The shadows from the trees behind me played across the scene. I can and will do better with the next plein air painting as I get my plein air legs back after a winter of studio work.