At the Broad Branch and Linnean streams, beauty in the cold

by Marlene Berlin

Many of us might prefer to see our local streams in their spring and summer blankets of green, or in the winter, blanketed in snow. But there is beauty to be found there even now.

It’s been fairly mild, but in late December it was cold enough to see ice in the Broad Branch and Linnean streams.

At one spot, water trapped under the ice made for a mesmerizing sight.

(View here if the embedded video above won’t play.)

We’ve had enough rain to fill pools that are usually dry this time of year, like here in the Broad Branch, just east of Linnean Avenue.

A lot of the vegetation has died off or retreated, leaving the Broad Branch trail clear to walk – as long as you don’t mind a little mud.

During a recent walk, I found ice at the edges of the some of the pools as I traveled east along the path.

If you’re lucky, you might run into a few neighbors.

And if you’re out at 5 p.m. or a bit after, you might be treated to a gorgeous sunset. This one, on Saturday, January 2nd, was quite a show.