Deep Snow Hikes and Bright Skies

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

We've been doing a lot of hikes out in our forest, and let me tell you, in knee to hip-high snow, it is hard work!  We love getting this kind of exercise, and taking Riley with us has been quite a romp. She gets to run on top of the snow while we slog along, one step at a time!



We've talked about buying a pair of cross-country skies, and maybe someday we will.  But for now, we try to take a trail carved out with our snowmobile, or find trails that snowmobiles have been on or make our own path by slogging it out... which is far better exercise than you'll find in any gym!


This January, it has all been about the skies! Morning and evening, there have been glorious sunrises and sunsets that brighten up the otherwise dreary skies.



Occasionally the sun has put forth a half-hearted effort to brighten the skies, and for even that, we are thankful.



We visited a state forest park and the sun did us a favor and came out and shed its warmth on us while we walked around with little Riley.



We now can't imagine our lives without this sweet little girl, she brings fun to every moment of the day!



The trail leads from this park back into the mountains.  We enjoyed walking in the path the snowmobiles had made.


Riley LOVES the snow.  It is so fun to see her scamper around as she plays.



She only sits still long enough to catch her breath, and then she's off to the races again.


A rare quiet moment captured by the camera!


Love the views the river affords us here.





Little one all tuckered out on the ride home...



Is there anything cuter than sleeping puppies (and babies too!) 


Later in the day, the gray skies lightened up as the sun began to set.


The views from the sky transformed the entire landscape into a wonderland of glorious light.


We took a little walk down the road to see the skies better.  As you can see, we aren't sure who is walking who... little Riley thinks she needs to hold Annie's leash!


Purple and pinks dancing together in glorious unison.




In between watching the show in the skies, there was quite the entertainment as we walked...


Annie was NOT impressed with the entertainment at all.  In fact, it makes me wonder how I will walk with Annie and Miss Riley! Our daughter walked with this and helped me corral Riley so we could walk, lol!


But when the skies did this... we all stopped and just gazed upwards!


My daughter, who is an artist, and loves to paint land and skyscapes wants to paint this.... I encouraged to please do it!  I would love an oil painting of this scene hanging on my wall!


Glory in the skies...


Riley didn't see what all the fuss was about... she found something in the street to play with, and her little heart was content to romp while we sky-gazed at the light in the skies above, making me think of this verse:

Every good gift 
and every perfect gift 
is from above, 
and cometh down from the Father of lights, 
with whom is no variableness, 
neither shadow of turning.  
James 1:17

Samuel Longfellow wrote: 
Into all our lives, in many simple, familiar homely ways, 
God infuses this element of joy from the surprises of life, 
which unexpectedly brighten our days, 
and fill our eyes with light.  

With hearts full of light and joy from the gifts given from our Father of lights, we walked home to enjoy some fresh homemade garden-fresh pumpkin pie with a lovely topping of whipped cream... the perfect ending to a wonderful day :)







47 comments

  1. Wow, what beautiful pictures! I LOVE it when the sky shows it's beauty in the evenings. My blog is just full of those! (I'm a bit boring, I guess, posting the same old thing, lol.) But it's just like The Almighty wants to make us happy; to show us what He can do...beauty that only He can create. I just love it!

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    1. You and I agree completely! Thank you so much for your visit, have a blessed day my friend!

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  2. How gorgeous! You are a good hiker! Do you ever use snow shoes? You remind me of my friend Jody from the Gumbo Lily blog. You guys would be great friends.

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    1. I need to visit Jody, I love meeting new bloggers :) Yes, we have certainly gotten our fair share of exercise recently, and I love it! Hugs to you today :)

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  3. You live in a magical place and that puppy just gets cuter!! It snowed here today, but not nearly that much and it doesn't look half as pretty melting on the road as it does in your world. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Snow is just beautiful, whether in little or large amounts, I do love it so. Always glad to have you visit Kim, have a blessed day! :)

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  4. Your photos are amazing, Marilyn! The skies are absolutely breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing them. Riley is quite the girl...I love her marking so much! Maybe one day Annie will come to enjoy all of the attention that Riley wants to give her. Your pumpkin pie looks so yummy. I can my own pumpkin, too. There is such a difference in what I can and what is sold at the stores. Your whipped cream (I'm guessing that is also made from scratch) looks yummy too. Now I will need to go to the basement and get some pumpkin brought up so I can make a pumpkin pie tomorrow. :-) Your tea set and your plate are beautiful, too. I have a tea pot in the same design as your plate.

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    1. I agree that there is a big difference between home-canned pumpkin and the store bought kind, a big difference. I didn't make the whipped cream from scratch, although I do love to do that. I cheated, and used the kind sprayed from a can :) Thanks for your sweet visit and kind words, they are appreciated so much! Hugs to you today :)

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  5. Such beautiful countryside with wonderful companions. A perfect day indeed!

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    1. It was a perfect day, it really couldn't get much better :)

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  6. Marilyn, little Riley is so precious! I love puppies! I don't know if I have the energy to keep up with one right now. I love how your other dogs have taken to her. And puppies sleeping look so snuggly!

    The scenery and snow is gorgeous! And your pie is the perfect ending to a day!

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    1. I think having a puppy is about like having a new baby, and being young and having lots of energy a must, lol! She is snuggly only when she is sleepy otherwise a moving ball of energy, but so sweet!

      Yes it was a lovely and perfect day, just loved the skies. Hugs to you today!

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  7. What amazing adventures you take! Amazing skies for us all to enjoy! And that puppy is just too stinkin' cute!!

    That orange fire sunset is truly wonderful. Wow! You definitely need a painting of that one... It's breathtaking!!

    Enjoy your walks..or workouts in that snow!! It was 72 degrees here today. Crazy weather. Cool temps again tomorrow...I thought it was winter?! Ha!

    Have a great week Marilyn!

    Hugs, Amy

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    1. What, 72 degrees? Oh my goodness, that is crazy weather! It was 5 degrees here last night, and 18 today. The sun is shining with this bout of cold weather we are getting, and I am loving it! Appreciate your visit Amy, have a great week yourself :)

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  8. Oh- Look at that cute, cute little Riley. Love the one where she is walking Annie. Pups are so much fun with every single thing a brand new adventure. You can have the snow-slogging! lol It is beautiful but it is so cold and dreary here that I crave the sunshine and warmth.
    Hope you enjoy all your walks- I know they are good exercise....which you NEED if you are gonna come home and eat PUMPKIN pie and WHIPPED CREAM! (lucky girl). xo Diana

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    1. I still have not braved walking with Annie and Riley by myself. Plus, the roads are very icy out. I try not to hike in the woods by myself and today my kids and husband are at work. We are getting cold weather with bright skies today, and I am loving it! So nice to see the sunshine, I know that all the days without the sun are hard. Yes, a good deal of exercise is always good before eating pie, that way you can eat it without any guilt, lol! Hugs to you today :)

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  9. What breathtaking photos. I bet the walk was exhilarating. I love a good snowy hike. I don't get th where I live now. I miss them. I love outdoors. That puppy is too cute!

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    1. There is something so exhilarating about the cold and hiking in the snow. We love it. A real workout for sure! We are enjoying Riley so much, she is full of cuteness! Hugs to you today :)

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  10. What magical walks/hikes you must have with drinking in those glorious mountains and those spectacular skies, not to mention the fun antics of your little Riley! Sublime photos!

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    1. Yes, the world we live in never ceases to amaze me with its constant beauty. We are blessed. And little Riley is just the sweetest little thing, we love her so! Appreciate your visit dear friend! :)

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  11. Your photos of the sky warmed my heart.

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    1. I'm glad they did Barbara! Praying for you and your husband! Hugs to you today :)

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  12. It looks like it was an absolutely beautiful sunset! I must say, I would have loved to have been there to see it in person.
    What a seriously cute puppy! She seems to have been thoroughly enjoying herself. :)

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    1. Riley was loving the walk, but Annie was sure annoyed, lol! The skies were so amazing, I could hardly believe it as I watched, so amazing. We are blessed! Hugs to you today :)

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  13. Wow. You have a lot of snow there! Your photos of the fields and mountains and the gorgeous sunset are amazing. Riley is such a cute ball of fur and energy. Enjoy! And Happy February.

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    1. Happy February to you too, hard to believe it is already February! Yes, little Riley has brought so much excitement into our lives, she is so sweet. Glad you enjoyed the pictures. Hope you are feeling better! Hugs to you today :)

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  14. All the snow is so pretty, your pictures are great. Love the ones with Riley, what a cutie!!

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    1. Thank you Mary, we never cease to be amazed at the beauty around us. And cuddles from Riley are precious, we love her so! Hugs to you today :)

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  15. OK... that little Riley is just so cute! Annie must be a very patient dog.
    Now for the sky, incredible!
    What a welcome home, PIE, on a perfect plate.
    (thanks for your words of encouragement!)

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    1. Annie is very patient, bless her heart. She is warming up to Riley, and looks after her now like a little momma. So sweet to watch. Yes, the skies were amazing! I never cease to be amazed at the beauty around us here. And the pie was the perfect ending to the day, indeed. Hugs to you today :)

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  16. Oh Marilyn...I don't know whether to mention those gorgeous skies or that adorable little Riley first...she is just precious! She is really enjoying that snow, isn't she? And speaking of the snow...WOW...your shots are just remarkable...and those skies are about as stunning as they can get! Your photos are just breathtaking!

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    1. The skies are amazing here. I feel so blessed to be able to look up and feel praise in my heart even though the days may be gray and cloudy. And little Riley is such a blessing, we love her so! She has brought so much excitement to our lives, lol! Appreciate your visit, have a blessed first day of February :)

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  17. We have just a couple of inches of the fluffy stuff. And that's plenty and pretty and easy to navigate through ...

    I'm grateful ...

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    1. I love snow, I know I'm a bit crazy, but I think we should have more than we do, lol! Glad you have a bit of snow, just enough to enjoy, for sure. Hugs to you today :)

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  18. Riley is such a sweetheart and I'm sure dead tired after romping in the snow. That does sound like a slogging walk in snow so deep, maybe nap time for mommy afterwards too? lol
    You captured some gorgeous skies and I love the idea of your daughter painting one of your photos.
    Mmm, pumpkin pie would be a great treat with a cuppa after a walk in the cold.
    Happy February!

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    1. It is a lot of hard work slogging through the deep snow, but the exercise is exhilarating, we love it. Yes, the pie afterwards was a real treat. I felt my plate of thankfulness was full, very full! Happy February to you too :)

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  19. It's all so beautiful, Marilyn! And Riley is adorable!!! I bet you enjoy many hours snuggling. Pie and coffee...oh yeah! :-)
    Have a great weekend coming up!

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    1. Thanks Anne, between the beauty in the skies, and the sweet cuddles from Riley, yes, I am blessed! And pie is just the perfect way to end a lovely day, eaten without guilt, lol! Hugs to you today :)

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  20. Oh my goodness, the skies are so magnificent! Thank you so much for sharing God's glorious majesty with us! So amazing!! And Riley is adorable in every way. Yes, you will not be able to give her up...she is so sweet. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this beautiful journey through your winter wonderland. God is so awesome!!!

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  21. Hi Marilyn! That dog has the sweetest little face. What fun to walk outside with that bundle of energy!
    The photos of the sky ablaze are just GORGEOUS. Really, just spectacular. I just sat back and took it all in. What a wonderful world we have...
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  22. I so love the views, they're just awesome!Thank you for these beautiful sights, I can only imagine these because winter here are mostly bleak skies and lifeless trees. I once asked my husband, "are the trees dying?", he said, "No, nature just needs rest." :)

    Your dog is adorable!I love dogs. :)...Have a blessed February ahead!

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  23. I just found your blog via I'm So Vintage blog. I loved your blog name so had to go check it out! Your skylines are stunning. I love Idaho so came here in hopes I'd see wonderful photography, and I have. I'll spend more time browsing your blog very soon! I live in central Oregon and our skies can be like your Idaho skies. I'm always out snapping pictures like crazy when that happens. And I love old fences and gates, covered with snow. If you could see my Facebook header, you'd see an old "log" fence covered in snow, like your 10th to the last photo! It was my neighbor's fence and I just loved it and took many pictures of it each winter. I've moved from that area now and live in town, so no more fences and gates. (boo hoo). I bet Riley will bring wonderful new adventures to your lives! We just rescued two kittens, one a year ago, and a "new" one a few months ago, and they are FOREVER adding excitement (some good ways, some not so good!). Take care and I've signed up to follow your blog! Marilyn from central Oregon oh.. and could you send me an email on how to change my "no reply" setting on my blog to a reply setting, so I can get peoples' responses to my blog comments in my email inbox? I've tried before but now luck. My email is pinkpapercottage@yahoo.com Thanks so much!

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  24. I just found your blog via I'm So Vintage blog. I loved your blog name so had to go check it out! Your skylines are stunning. I love Idaho so came here in hopes I'd see wonderful photography, and I have. I'll spend more time browsing your blog very soon! I live in central Oregon and our skies can be like your Idaho skies. I'm always out snapping pictures like crazy when that happens. And I love old fences and gates, covered with snow. If you could see my Facebook header, you'd see an old "log" fence covered in snow, like your 10th to the last photo! It was my neighbor's fence and I just loved it and took many pictures of it each winter. I've moved from that area now and live in town, so no more fences and gates. (boo hoo). I bet Riley will bring wonderful new adventures to your lives! We just rescued two kittens, one a year ago, and a "new" one a few months ago, and they are FOREVER adding excitement (some good ways, some not so good!). Take care and I've signed up to follow your blog! Marilyn from central Oregon oh.. and could you send me an email on how to change my "no reply" setting on my blog to a reply setting, so I can get peoples' responses to my blog comments in my email inbox? I've tried before but now luck. My email is pinkpapercottage@yahoo.com Thanks so much!

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  25. Good Afternoon and thank you so much for visiting me. I see that we share so many of the same blog friends. I love dogs/cats and your Annie and Riley are precious. I live in north GA and rarely do we see the kind of snow you share here. Very beautiful and I'm sure it's quite a workout! I do hope your daughter will paint the lovely sky you enjoyed on your walk. Reminds me of the old hymn, Beyond the Sunset. Your pumpkin pie looks delicious. That is my husband's favorite and he teases that he will just hold the can of whipped cream up and empty it! lol Hope you have a lovely evening...I'll be following along now. Mildred

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  26. You are so brave to be out in all that deep snow. I don't like being cold or risking falling. - I will admit your photos are beautiful and that sunset was stunning. Also that puppy is way to cute!

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  27. Your weather looks a bit of the same of what we have here in ND. I so enjoyed the pictures of Riley; what a cutie. The scenery pictures you have taken are something to be enjoyed. I hope you get your painting from your daughter. Thank you for your visit to my blog today.

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  28. Such beautiful photos of such a magnificent "painting" by our Heavenly Father! It reminds me of the Dolly Parton song, "God's Coloring Book". Have you ever heard it? God is so wonderful. I am so grateful He has created such beauty for us to enjoy! May He bless you abundantly, sweet friend. :)

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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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