Signs of Winter #2

We had the second major snow fall of the 2011-2012 winter season this afternoon.  Here in the Chicago suburbs we received about 6 inches.  My drive home from work usually takes 40 -50 minutes.  Today the drive was nearly three hours.  Everyone on the road was driving cautiously with the exception of one idiot who was apparently driving "around the world to the left" (turn signal was on for over seven miles).  It made me nervous only because I wasn't sure if he would suddenly stop because he actually wanted to turn.

Here is a picture I found online some time ago (I'm sorry - I can't seem to find the link right now but I will give the creator credit as soon as I find it).  I love it.  It was my hope to "recreate" it (in photographs) when it snowed again.

Here are my photographs - taken at the start of the storm into the forest preserve near my office.  I spend a lot of my lunch hours there relaxing, enjoying nature, and watching the birds.  What do you think?  Was I successful in imitating the style?

There is something so intriguing about the shape of trees.  I feel drawn to the natural state of these massive skeletons, particularly when they are not symmetrical.     

The following pictures were taken on my ride home (from the car window).  This photograph was of an uncleared walkway in Addison, Illinois.  I love the glow of the old fashioned street lights.  I also like the way the trees mimic the pattern of them on the other side of the image.  It seems appropriate to color it like a vintage photograph.

This image turned out amazingly.  New fallen snow just after sunset has a natural glow and this image appears to capture that feeling.  I realize that many would disregard this photograph because it is not a crisp clean image but I think it is perfect!  It is also a quiet, serene image of a lone tree.