Sun Flares at Sunset

Near Rob's house is a great gash in the countryside through which the Transco gas pipeline runs, pumping gas along a 10.000 mile system up the east side of the country. Although ugly, noisy and sometimes odorous, it does provide a useful short cut to the rail line, which on Sunday was where I wanted to go.

The sun was low in the sky and currently I have a thing about taking photos late in the day and catching star bursts, sun flares and lots of bokeh in my images. Dark photos with bright light glaring and creating kaleidoscopic patterns. Today was a superb day to do that with no breeze and a low winter sun that dazzled. We put some coins on the railway line and waited for a train.

No train came by but I got some interesting shots and so was happy with that. Rob called on Monday to let me know he'd found 3 of the 7 coins that had been flattened by a train later on Sunday evening.
During Monday afternoon and overnight we got snow in Marshall. Not a lot but enough to get out of bed early, prise open my watering eyes and set the tripod up outside briefly. I got these 2 photos as the sun came up over the horizon.

I sent the landscape one to ABC 7 news where it was shown on TV at 6:20am on Wednesday. Cool!