A combination of melting snow and heavy rain resulted in a significant increase in water flowing over the spillway of Cummings Dam at Blue Spruce Park. Water has flowed over the spillway since 1912.
Witch Hazel is one of the last trees to flower for the year. By year's end the strap-like yellow petals become more visible in the woods after the leaves fall. The flowers are pollinated by moths that remain active late in the year. On this December 17th day the flowers were encased in ice from an overnight storm at Blue Spruce Park.
The photo shows a coal train after it has passed through White's Hill Tunnel just north of Indiana, PA. The Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad hauls coal to the Homer City Generating Station on this line. This is the only active railroad tunnel remaining in Indiana County. Trains have used this tunnel since the early 190os, but in its earlier days coal was leaving the county to other destinations.
