Winter Photos & Posters
Beautiful winter scenes, snow landscapes, and nature covered in white fine
art prints. We have teamed up with several online art vendors to bring you the best
selection of winter scenes and snowy landscape posters, photos, and fine art prints. This allows you to
shop with confidence, knowing that you are getting the best selection and price.
Enjoy browsing this great collection of posters, photos, and fine art prints of
winter scenes and snowy landscapes. For information about ordering any of these
winter posters, just
click on the link below the image. You can also beautify and protect your prints by having
them
custom framed.
Any prices given are subject to change, so be sure to click on the links below for
ordering and current pricing information.
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To survive the harshness of winter, many animals have developed different
behavioral and morphological adaptations:
Migration is a common effect of winter upon animals, notably birds. However the
majority of birds do not migrate, the cardinal for example. Some butterflies
also migrate seasonally.
Hibernation is a state of reduced metabolic activity during the winter. These
animals "sleep" during winter and only come out as warm weather returns. For
example, gophers, bears, frogs, snakes and bats hibernate.
Some animals store food for the winter and live upon it instead of hibernating
completely. This is the case of squirrels, beavers, skunks, badgers and
raccoons.
Resistance is observed when an animal endures winter, but changes in ways such
as color and musculature. The color of the fur or plumage are changed to white
in order to be confused with snow and thus, to retain their cryptic coloration
year round. Examples are the ptarmigan, the arctic fox, the weasel, the
white-tailed jack rabbit or the mountain hare.
Some fur-coated mammals grow a heavier fur coat during the winter. This improves
the heat-retention qualities of the fur. The coat is then shed following the
winter season to allow better cooling. The heavier winter coat made this season
a favorite for trappers who sought more profitable skins.
Snow also affects the ways animals behave, as many take advantage of the
insulating properties of snow by burrowing in it. Mice and voles typically live
under the snow layer.
Annual plants never survive the winter. As for perennial plants, many small ones
profit from the insulating effects of snow by being buried in it. Larger plants,
particularly deciduous trees, usually let their upper part go dormant, but their
roots are still protected by the snow layer. Few plants bloom in the winter,
though exceptions include the flowering plum (which flowers in time for Chinese
New Year).
Winter Activities
Snow activities
Many winter activities involve the use of snow in some form (which sometimes
may still be manmade, via snow cannons):
Bobsledding - a winter sport in which teams make timed runs down narrow,
twisting, banked purpose-built iced tracks in a gravity-powered, steerable sled.
Skiing - the activity of gliding over snow using what is now fiberglass planks
called skis that are strapped to the skiers' feet with ski bindings.
Sledding - a downhill activity where the user uses a sled to glide down the
hill.
Snowball fight - a physical game in which snowballs are thrown with the
intention of hitting someone else.
Snowboarding - an increasingly common sport where participants strap a composite
board to their feet and slide down a snow-covered mountain.
Snowshoeing - a means of travel in which one is able to walk on top of the snow
by increasing the surface area of their feet.
Snowman building - creating a man-like model out of snow.
Snow castle building - for example constructions such as the SnowCastle of Kemi,
the largest in the world.
Ice activities
Many other winter activities and sports focus on ice, which however need not
necessarily be natural (see ice rink).
Ice skating - a means of traveling on ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes
parabolic) blade-like devices molded into special boots (or, more primitively,
without boots, tied to regular footwear).
Ice boating - a means of travel in a specialized boat similar in appearance to a
sailboat but fitted with skis or runners (skates) and designed to run over ice
instead of (liquid) water.
Ice biking - The continuation of regular cycling activities in the winter and
cold weather.
Ice fishing - the sport of catching fish with lines and hooks through an opening
in the ice on a frozen body of water.
Ice diving - a type of penetration diving where the dive takes place under ice.
Ice sculpture - elaborate sculptures are carved out of blocks of ice.
Ice Hockey - A team sport played on the ice with skates, sticks and a puck. The
goal is to send the puck in the adversary team's net more often than they send
it in yours during 60 minutes of play.
Curling - A team sport using brooms and stones. The object of the game is to
slide your stones in a bullseye and get your opponent's stones out of it.
Ice climbing - The recreational activity of climbing ice formations such as
icefalls, and great frozen waterfalls.
