Snow Dust

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Each year the seasons offer up such an assortment of variety... and we have learned, you can never depend on what the weatherman may say! We have been told multiple times this year that snow is coming, and yet... each time nothing has come of the warnings and watches.

Now we are having a severe polar arctic cold that has settled into this area, with no snow.  This is not good for pipes and water lines, as snow helps to insulate the ground and protect the ground from such a hard freeze. However, this year, we have gotten a solid freeze for almost a week now, with no snow. Thankfully, our pipes so far are holding up, and I am keeping a little water running in the taps to prevent any frozen lines.

Meanwhile, the skies have been providing us with spectacular shows...


Billows of clouds piling around each other in the softest of pastel colors.


Gentle rays of sunlight dusting the clouds with the last rays of color.


The skies offered up to us the most glorious of joys, spectacular in their moments of fame on December's stage.


The clouds rolling in were bring cold, very very cold weather... and the war was on...  in the skies.


Cold and warm clouds meeting and greeting each other with quite majestic displays of color.


The cold air was pushy, 
and downright determined 
to settle in for the long haul.  
The mountains gave a long sigh, 
and accepted their fate.  


I never, ever tire of the majestic views of the mountains and skies that surround us, and their unequaled expression of drama.


It was quite breathtaking to watch the storm clouds roil and toil together in the skies above.


And then the very skies seemed to be emblazoned with a heat and warmth as a last firebrand in the skies that was soon replaced by the cold polar arctic air that has settled in around us since then.



Blazing skies, purple-hued mountain ridges, deepening shadows, billowing frothy clouds... spectacular details gloriously displayed in December skies.



As the skies were roaring and roiling in all their glory... my heart again lifted to the Creator, the One who makes this wonder more common than a penny on the ground to me... oh how blessed I am, and how I wish to never, ever take for granted, each moment the Lord grants my eyes to see this beauty in the skies.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And since the cold weather won the battle in the skies... we have all been bundling up as the cold air has enveloped us in its icy embrace.


My poor chickens! The next morning after the storm, when I went to let them out for the day, they just crowded around me, as if they were saying "What has happened?  Where is the soft dirt to play in? Everything is cold, hard and frozen!"


Instead of busily pecking in the dirt, chasing bugs, and taking dirt baths, the poor things are standing around on one foot and then the other, trying to stay warm.


I was amazed though at how they adapted.  I was able to slip on thermals, hat, scarf, gloves and a thick warm coat.  They had none of that, only their feathers.


After a while, they realized that there was nothing I was going to do to change their situation, and they grudgingly began to wander around, hoping to find something not frozen solid to eat... which wasn't much!




Seldom would you see them all clustered together like this... but in temperatures of 16 to 18 degrees... what else could be done?


I took a peek inside my greenhouse, and was surprised that everything was still green! Wow, I was amazed!  All my flowers that were still blooming in November... are still blooming in December!  I have to say again, this is quite an amazing thing for me to see!


The icy frost had layered the tops of the mountains with white, but the valleys below were quiet and silent, barren in their cold state.



As the sun set a day or two later... you can see the difference... the frozen white tops of the mountains, and the muted gray-blue skies.  No excitement today... the cold had settled itself in and even the skies were silent in their acceptance.

Today we were forecast to get more snow.  And it did snow today, but it was more like snow dust!  It has been so cold that the snow is falling like dust out of the sky, sticking to nothing, and blowing around in its wispy, feathery softness.

Each season brings its own recipe for just how the season will play out, and it is a mixture that calls for a "wait and see" attitude.  We have not had one significant snowfall yet this winter, and that is part of the mixture we get to enjoy.  You just never know what the season will hold, and hence... we just enjoy each day that comes, and find the beauty wherever it is at.  It is there.  You just have to look for it... and bask in the beauty of the moment when it happens. And that is the spice of life, the joy of living, that comes in holding your hands up and open to whatever the Lord has in store for you , in this season, and in this moment, in today.

Are you stopping in the busy-ness of this season, and looking up? Looking around? Looking for the beauty of the moment?   For beauty is around us, and we must look through the eyes of our heart to see and enjoy it.  What beauty have your eyes seen today?

Today I saw beauty in the snow dust that fell.  It was so cold that the snow falling was like little white pieces of dust falling out of the sky, muting the ground slowly.  It was not the lush and glorious snow that settles grandly on every edge, nook and cranny of the world, but instead it silently dusted the landscape with wispy feathery whispers of white.



And while the snow "dusted" all day long, and never amounted to much more than what you see in this picture... I found a quaint and unique beauty in it... the soft snow dust.  And then I realized, I never thought of snow like dust before.. and I found beauty in that thought too.

What have you found beauty in today?





23 comments

  1. Thank you for the many smiles. We here in western NY are also under the same polar express with heavy snow falling (ducking so you don't me, giggling). I hope you have a beautiful day friend. smiles

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    Replies
    1. I can throw the snowball back now! We got snow over the weekend, and indeed, I am all smiles :) Hugs to you dear friend!

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  2. We had the snowy dusting a few days ago with the polar frigid cold, but thankfully ours only lasted 3 days. Today will be like a heat wave in the 50's. Our wood stove has been burning non stop. I need to bring in more wood!
    Your skies are breathtaking! They all tell a story. God's glory always speaks through out all his beauty.
    Poor chickens, good thing their instincts kicked in and they stayed warm. I don't think our chickens came out if their coop much during our cold days. And I don't blame them, cause neither did we. It was a crafty, baking kind of a week here....

    I hope you have a delightful weekend friend!
    Hugs to you, Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish we had a wood stove! I would put it to good use, I do miss it! My husband and I are still talking about where we would put it and how... maybe someday we will get one installed! Thank you for your kind words, they mean so much. Yes, those poor chickens are not happy about the cold nor the snow. Hope your week has been full of wonderful things and the grace of the Lord abounding! Hugs to you today dear friend :)

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  3. Beautiful photo's of God's glory, no dusting here just cold. I think we are having snow showers next Sunday. Stay Warm up there in your beautiful mountains.

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    Replies
    1. Cold is no fun without snow! I speak from experience, lol! It seems warmer outside now with the snow, even though the temps tell us otherwise. I don't know what that is, but it is. Hope you get your snow on Sunday! Hugs to you today :)

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  4. Oh- your mountains are just so beautiful--no matter what the weather holds. LOL about your chickens switching feet to stay warm-- Maybe you should invest in 'chicken boots'? Just a thought!
    We have LOTS of snow coming tonight (or so they say). My daughter left for home a day early to beat the snow. Her 6+ hour drive can turn into 10 hours with bad weather through Chicagoland--happened last year at Christmas-ugh.

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend- xo Diana

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  5. Gorgeous vistas, friend ... these are the times when you just can't pick one shot to share!

    Advent weekend blessings to you.

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  6. Deraest Marilyn,
    I feel amazed more and more at your stunning pictures, your world is truly a little bit of Paradise !

    Hope you're enjoying the best of weekends,
    I'm sending blessings to you,
    with utmost gratitude for the wonderful, precious lady you are

    Xx Dany

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  7. Oh my, those sky photos are stunning. As Daniela already says, your world is a wee bit of paradise.

    I used to fret a little about the birds being out in such cold -- hubby reminded me that they have feathers to insulate. Like the feather beds we used to sleep under as kids. Oh yes, of course. BTW, you have a lovely flock of hens and roosters.

    Wishing you a beautiful weekend and wonderful glimpses of heaven in unexpected places.

    Brenda

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  8. There is nothing more beautiful then the view the good Lord provides for us. It never ceases to amaze me. We had our first dusting of snow on Friday. It was a surprise as the weather man didn't forecast it! I am hearing that we might have a rain/snow mix Sunday into Monday. I'll just have to wait and see if that happens. :)

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  9. You live in a lovely place! I love the cute chickens.

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  10. The skies in your photos and the story of the chickens are beautiful.

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  11. BRRRR! I hate that chilling cold. The photos sure are gorgeous though. We have had snow and some nice days, but a few cold ones as well. Even a dusting of snow is lovely! Maybe you'd better make sweaters for those chickens. :)
    hugs,
    Jann

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  12. You always remind me to seek beauty and it's always there. Just need to LOOK.
    Those storm clouds look so powerful. It must of been quite the storm.

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  13. The pictures of the sky are so beautiful... you are lucky that all the plants are still alive... I tried a lot to keep alive my basil plant here in California, but I unable to do that.. :(

    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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  14. I like the beautiful photos of the skies and the ones with the mountains in the background. Looks so cold! I know what you mean about the pipes. We had a cold spell last week before we wrapped the well for winter and the pipes froze. No morning showers! Those chickens are fun and I imagine eating fresh eggs for breakfast.

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  15. Oh, how beautiful! I just love seeing all of the pretty sights around your home! And, those chickens! Bless their little hearts...hopping around from one foot to the other to try to stay warm. Oh, my...poor things. Every season holds its own beauty, doesn't it? All put together and orchestrated by the hands of a loving God Who cares about us so very much. May He bless you abundantly, dear friend. :) Sending you love and hugs!

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  16. Hi,
    The photos are stunning. You live in such an amazing place. I loved the second to last one you shared. Just amazing with the snow and sun.
    We received our first snow fall Saturday thru Sunday. 5 inches for our area of Wisconsin.
    I am so happy, I love to cross county ski, I will be getting out this weekend for our first ski. :-)

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  17. I enjoyed seeing your photos of the clouds and frosted mountains Marilyn. We are under the polar vortex here this week too but it's mild enough to snow today. We have over a foot on the ground now from two storms the week before last and with another 10 inches today I think we'll have a very white Christmas here and in most of Canada as it's been quite stormy and cold all across the land, even in southern BC. I find beauty in the snowy landscape, the birds at the feeders and the deer that visit now and then. Have a wonderfully blessed week.
    Pam

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  18. Hi Marilyn! You are so right about seeing joy in the day, finding the beauty that we'd miss if we gave into busyness. Easy to do this time of year, I know I'm very challenged by that.
    Your photos of the sky show the infinite diversity of nature, and it's beauty too. I know that the Creator is happy that you celebrate each change and light! I do feel sorry for your poor chickens, but isn't it amazing how quickly they adapted? And how fun that your greenhouse is working out so well! I remember when you found it, and moved it to your property. I bet you are so glad you got that.
    Have a wonderful week, praising God with your camera and your heart,
    Ceil

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  19. My favourite picture of the sky/mountains is the second to last one. I really like the movement in the cloud. It's been cold here too- lots of new beautiful blessings everywhere. Holiday greetings to you and I hope you have a blessed Christmas.

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Your comments are blessings to me, and I appreciate each and every one, they are precious to me! I appreciate you taking the time to comment on my blog... this is what makes blogging worthwhile! Have a blessed day!

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