The temperature this morning was -5F with a windchill of -30F (-20C & -34C) … in other words a great morning to head down to the shore of Lake Superior and take some photographs! I knew that the combination of extremely frigid temperatures, clear skies and steam rising off Lake Superior would make for dramatic scenes. The clouds in the photos are the result of Lake Superior giving off her heat on a cold Winter’s morning.

I hope you enjoy this small taste of the Northland taken at Brighton Beach.  Click upon any photo to view at full size / resolution.

Post Updates:

• Downloadable versions of the “Frost Rise” photos: Many of you asked whether I would be willing to make free downloadable high resolution copies in multiple resolutions of the photos available. The answer is “yes”! Please link to my Flickr account:
  Bench | Stone Picnic Shelter | Tree
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• Betty’s Pie Facebook Visitors: Here are two photos taken at sunrise this past Summer right across the road from Betty’s (Stewart River: Photo 1 and Photo 2).

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Stone Picnic Shelter on Lake Superior near Duluth

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Park Bench at Brighton Beach on Lake Superior

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Waiting for Summer!

I just sent emails requesting action on gun control to President Obama, my two senators, my representative and governor.  Even though I hunt, I recognize that we do NOT need the kind of guns used in this week's murders in Connecticut. I can not imagine a deer standing still for 60 seconds while I shoot off 30 rounds.

While the founding fathers guaranteed the right to bear arms, and that right should be protected, the guns used in 1776 were flintlocks which required minutes to reload and shoot a single shot. Our founders never envisioned the types of weapons now available.

My pastor made this comment, stop selling high volume ammo clips to the public and part of the problem will eventually solve itself. In this way, I need not take on the fight of what is, or is not a semi-automatic assault weapon. I recognize that a black market will always exist, and that some people will be able to get around such a ban, but this would definitely help the problem.

Please contact your elected representatives within the next 24 hours and ask them to take action on gun control by banning large ammunition clips / magazines. It's easy to send a message when you use their web sites. The entire process took me less than 15 minutes. Thank you.

Once again, let me be clear that I support a US citizen's right to own guns such as shotguns and 22 caliber hunting rifles, but we also needed intelligent gun control laws. Here is an earlier post which demonstrates my support for hunting: Pheasant, not just for breakfast anymore!

Post Update on January 8, 2013: Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, have started up a new organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions, which will advocate for the passage of intelligent gun control laws in the USA. Both individuals are gun owners, and supporters of the US 2nd Amendment.

• ABC Interview conducted by Diane Sawyer
• Americans for Responsible Solutions

I just donated. Please note that this new organization is a PAC, and not a charity. Your contribution is NOT tax deductible.

Here is a demonstration of what was required to shoot a Brown Bess Flintlock Musket at the time of the Revolutionary War. If you want to see the actual loading and firing, skip forward to the 4:30 minute point in the video.

When I was a young boy, Trumpeter Swans almost became extinct. In the 60's and 70's if I remember correctly, there were only 35 breeding pairs in North America. Even today, they are one of the rarest birds in North America.

Given my love of the outdoors and birds, you can imagine my glee when driving home from work I noticed a flock of "late migrants". Our lake had been mostly iced over, but some warm weather this week opened everything up. The swans took advantage of the open water to rest up on their way south.

After arriving home, I quickly grabbed my camera and headed out for a photo shoot. Luck was on my side; it was even the golden hour of the day for photography. Although my hands became really cold during the 25 minutes I stocked this one flock, the pain was well worth while. I consider myself lucky to have seen this sight in my lifetime. I even managed to photograph another flock in air as they were about to land. However, when they saw me, not being impressed they flew on!

I hope you enjoy these photos. Click upon any photo to view at full size and resolution. I've not put any watermarks or copyright on the photos, but if you do share the pictures, please grant me credit, NorthStarNerd.Org. Thanks!

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Photo 3

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Photo 5