There’s still beautiful snow on the ground, but it’s disappearing. The grass is visible again, but it’s brown and looks lifeless. The sun is shining, but it brings little warmth. I’d love to sit on the front porch with a guitar, but it’s too cold. I’d love to lie on the ground and look for little folk to photograph, but it’s too early—and too wet. And so my mind takes me back again, to a wonderfully warm, summer day not too long ago, when a friend invited me out for a day of fishing. We were in swim trunks and t-shirts, hats and sunglasses, and barefoot, fly-fishing for trout on a little-known and tiny lake, that was actually only a wide portion of a lovely stream, from a two-person, very shallow plastic kayak that let lots of water into the seats, but that didn’t matter. At the upstream end of the little lake, the stream entered through a secluded grotto that had such a magical aura about it that I expected to see fairies flitting among the dripping fern fronds. I had my compact camera with me, and was frequently torn between the equally-urgent imperatives to fish and to photograph. Here’s one from when the latter was stronger.
krikitarts 
Wow! That looks almost tropical. I don’t believe I’ve ever been in a place where the ferns grew that large. It does look magical and any moment the fairy sprites will flit into sight.
It was doubly magical because it was a clear day and very hot out on the open water of the lake. There was no indication from there that this other world was waiting just around a couple of corners, and it was quiet and moist and cool and…wonderful!
This is a wonderful scene, very well captured. Very tropical / jungle feel to it.
Hi, Jeff–and thanks for your visit! I sure would have loved to have had my main camera and a place to set up a tripod, but there was no way. I really hope to be able to revisit that place–would dearly love to see it in fog!
Oh, how I wish there was a mega-like button. This is simply beautiful!! It makes me curious though – I just want to continue on and see what’s around the next curve. Great job!
Hi, Cindy, I’m happy to grant your wish. Check your e-mail!
It seems to be deep in a rain forest, so peaceful & a master piece of mother nature, great captured :)
Not really in a rain forest, but rather sort of making its own little micro-rain forest. Bezaubert!
That is SO inviting…just draws you in.
It surely did with me–once I entered the enchanted little canyon, I didn’t want to leave it again!
Fabulous shot, Gary! Wonderful light and composition.
Yes, the light was really fantastic; it’s really all about light after all, isn’t it, and how we use it? As for the composition, it really helped a lot that there was no wind and that my fishing companion was able to sit perfectly still in out little kayak long enough for me to make the shot!
Good image, Gary, made for me by the pale fronds hanging out over the water on the right and that beautiful luminous trail on the water’s surface that takes my eye through to the highlights in the far background. Good stuff! Adrian
Have I mentioned that I fell in love with this place as soon as it was revealed as we paddled deeper into the increasing gloom? Or is it obvious?