Also, this. Only 80,000 left in California, but 500,000 in Britain. Interesting history. Fashion for growing them from seed in mid-1800s so they’re smaller at the moment but should grow to the same size as those in the US eventually.
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I think you guys are criticizing that I am trying to see something positive about climate change?
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I think it’s more like we hatched a cuckoo discussion inside your thread and pushed all the other chicks out of the nest
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I certainly didn’t intend to criticize, and I’m sorry if I caused you to feel that you were being criticized. Tony got it right!
@TonyBarrett @elGordo I have no problem with criticism. I did not initially think of climate change in this context but it absolutely needs to be mentioned.
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Well, actually, I think I just realized that “winter without snow” would be a good title for an art exhibition/research project.
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Heh. Where I live (southeast US), “winter without snow” is the norm. We get significant snow about every five years or so.
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What sprang to my mind (before reading your question) is, “Spring is near, winter is distant”. Literally.
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For some minimal value of “significant”, I’d add. At least here in the deep central southern US.
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I think the white winter wonderland is more a product of the tourism industry than anything else.
Especially in Austria.
Sure, the climate change is real and saving a ton of heating material per season isn’t that bad - both for the bank account and in reducing CO2 emissions.
Just my 2cts.
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I remember an old “global warming” documentary. The interviewer asked an old Eskimo what he thought about global warming. He replied, “I like it.” The interviewer, acting shocked, asked him why. “Because it’s warmer.”
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For me it was Heidi or Sound of Music…
Probably a cultural shortfall on my account that I didn’t think of that… 
In southern Germany we had some serious snowfall in the beginning of December last year. We had just moved here from northern Germany, were snow and hills were non-existant, so the kids excitedly asked for a sled for Christmas. Santa Claus obliged.
Alas, not a single snowflake has since graced our new home. Be that from climate change or otherwise, it did bum us out.
There is a certain Icelandic, barren charm to a snowless winter landscape. I especially like how it’s much easier to photograph birds without the foliage getting in the way. But by now, I’ve had my share of browns and dirty green. It’s time for spring.
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Got a certain amount of inspiration for Winter from : fertile darkness
time of rest, restoration, all to play for
Weeelll, except, regrettably, that the world uses more energy on air-conditioning and other cooling systems, than on heating, that is …
You might possibly find some inspiration from a poem by the Norwegian Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, an important European writer in the latter part of the 19th century, (Nobel literary prize in 1903), about April – as April then was climatically much as March is now. My quick and dirty translation with total disregard for the original rhyme and rhythm, (you might find some better translation to German from old):
"I chose April 1)
In that the old falls,
in that the new finds foot;
it causes some hubbub,–
though peace is not the best,
but that there is something one will. 2&3)
I chose April,
because it storms, brooms,
because it smiles, melts,
because it owns abilities,
because it powers wrecks,-- *
in that the summer is born!"
- This was some irony as the story is that 12 authors where each challenged to write a poem about one month each, and when Bjørnstjerne came to the table, there was only April left.
- These latter two lines has become a saying in Norwegian language.
- Personally I’m fairly reserved towards this saying, as I during a lifetime have become quite skeptical towards those who will too much in disregard of peace …
*Edit: More correctly understandable, I think: “because it wrecks powers”
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At least that part can be very easily powered by photovoltaics, where the highest output matches the highest demand. Heating in European winters, not so much.
Weeelll, photovoltaic systems actually works quite well in cold climate.
The nice thing is that the efficiency of the cells increases with lower temperatures – when there is the highest demand … One is now i.a. considering using photovoltaic systems for energy supply on Svalbard (Spitzbergen). (Although I do believe that they may not be the only answer in the arctic mid-winter where there isn’t any daylight to talk about.)
I think these images, although not the rote social media type, are elegant in their own right. Nowadays, we are so enthralled with stimulus and extreme views that we forget about the sublime in-between. What I see is nature at rest. Fallow land does not mean it is barren or stark.
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