I was able to take a trip up to the Niobrara Valley Preserve just after the first of the year.  Snow covered the ground and it was bitterly cold much of the time I was there, but there was one evening’s worth of good light and reasonable temperatures that allowed for some photography.  Here are two images from that evening that show the landscape from two vastly different perspectives.

Ice and snow covered The Nature Conservancy’s Niobrara Valley Preserve last weekend.  This is a panoramic image comprised of several photos merged together.  You can click on the image to see a larger version of it.

The Niobrara Valley Preserve is a place that feels big (and it is).  From some of the higher vantage points on site, you can see for many miles in every direction.  It’s easy to feel swallowed up by that expansiveness – something that I find exhilarating, but others find overwhelming.  At the same time, much of the beauty of the place is found in the smaller details, including simple things such as the top of a ragweed plant emerging from a glistening hole in the melting snow…

Ragweed in snow. Niobrara Valley Preserve, Nebraska.

I am very fortunate to be able to make regular visits to the Niobrara Valley Preserve.  Despite the cold, snow, and wind, this latest trip was one of my favorites.  I’m sure I will go back soon.