The last days of March and early April have been snowy this year. I think there was even some sort of weather record. The sun peeked out between snowfalls and quickly freed roofs and pavements from the blanket of snow, but the next morning it could start all over again: grey skies, dense clouds, snow in your face, wet snow under your feet.
The gardens and parks look just like in winter, only brighter - more festive. The snow reflects the rays of the spring sun, and the light doubles. The parks are only this bright in early spring. In summer, the sun will hide in the tree canopy, and the park lanes will provide thick shade and coolness.
Along the roofs of buildings, architectural decorations on facades and canopies, rows of icicles appear. These natural lenses add glow to the city streets. If you step into a courtyard, away from the city's busy thoroughfares, you can hear the characteristic springtime melody: icicles melt, and water droplets plummet down at their own pace.
For the housing authority workers, the time after such snowfalls is the busiest time of the year. The roofs must be cleared of snow before the next night, when temperatures drop below freezing, the fluffy snow will turn into dangerous ice. I took a picture of workers with shovels on one of the roofs - but their small figures were lost against the background of old brick chimneys.
The tree branches against the white snow and bright blue sky seem like a work of art, this exquisite graphic is beautiful in its perfection. Next to the rounded crowns of the linden and willow trees, the trimmed branches of the poplars can be seen. In summer, green foliage will cover these broken lines and the poplars will be as beautiful as the rest of the trees. But I always feel sorry for the poplars in spring.
I walk into the courtyard of an old house and see the preserved details of the old household. This wooden gate with a semi-circular end was once the gate to the stables. Now the rooms in the basement live a mysterious life, hidden from view. Often the residents are not even aware of what goes on in the former stables. They may be the workrooms of sculptors or cabinetmakers, the warehouse of a nearby shop or a garage. Some stables have been converted into residential flats or guest houses. The vaulted interiors look unusual and are popular with tourists.
At the end of the walk I walk out onto Nevsky Prospekt, to the monument to Empress Catherine the Great. I have to limit myself to shots from the back and in profile - the bright sun prevents me from photographing the monument from other angles. At the foot of the monument are figures of prominent figures of the Catherine era. The sceptre in the hands of the empress looks like a magic wand.
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| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |