Somewhere in the mountains, morning light falls on fresh snow amid the rocky cliffs and rugged pines. Frozen mist lies in the valley, as the warm sun bathes the distance peaks.
Winter has come early to parts of the nation, sometimes even before the leaves have fully fallen. Here, in the forest, we walk amid the last of the fall color as the first snowfall coats the ground and trees.
Autumn is rolling on in this part of the world, and an earlier start faded away amid a few warm weeks. Yesterday, cold air swept through the region, marking winter's eventual arrival. The trees above shed their colorful leaves as the chilly wind blows.
This weekend marks the 200th anniversary of our nation's national anthem and the attack upon Fort McHenry here in Maryland. In honor of that event, here we see the bombardment of the fort, illuminated by the fires, shells, and rockets' red glare.
Along a wandering dirt hiking trail, an old crabapple stands guard, covered in flowers. Amid the green trees and grass, its pink hues shout a reminder that spring will always return, no matter winter's fury.
On a warm winter day, golden sunlight highlights the snow-covered trees by a winding river. Though more snow may be on its way, this sunny break in the clouds is more than welcome.
After a cold and snowy month of winter, a warm spell sweeps through the countryside. Beneath the old, sleeping trees, the snow slowly melts away in the low-angle light as shadows are cast across the dried grass and reeds.