Warming rays in winter

This lone tree is exhibiting quite the quiff! It’s clearly been shaped by the conditions. 

And that pond is so still. I love its mirror-like quality. 

And the sun breaking into the day – am I imagining it or is there just the faintest warmth now taking the cool edge off the air? 

I didn’t use anything on the lens to create that flare. Is it a little over the top? Perhaps. But I think it’s a good reminder that the sun is faithfully sending rays our way every day. Maybe it would be useful to see them streaming towards us like this every once in a while – would this improve how we see ourselves and others?

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Again in black and white:

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Taken on a Canon 400D with an EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, at Whitemoor near Boltons Bench, Lyndhurst, New Forest. January 2014. 

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Photo ref: 20140111-boltons-bench-056
Notecard ref: NF015