“Shroud of Ice”
Delphi, Indiana
2003

Mother Nature amazes us with her antics. She sends us storms and rainbows. Winds and clouds. She protects, yet destroys. Early spring in Indiana is proof of Mother Nature’s indecision. Robins return, buds emerge, and the air warms. But one early spring morning nature mixed cold with rain. An emerging bud on a beech tree was nurtured by moisture, then encased by ice when temperatures fell. One moment being nourished, the next being laden with heavy ice. Will the ice grow burdensome and cause the budding branch to bend and break? Or will the ice provide protection for the bud from the dropping temperatures? The early morning light shines on the ice-covered twig. The refracted light causes the golds, browns, and reds in the twig to be accentuated. Will the icy beauty lead to damage? Mother Nature enshrouded her buds with ice to ensure they would emerge in the following days of spring to provide Indiana with shade.