A Noisy~Silent Hike

Some of you who receive email updates to this blog may have seen this post before... but I'm having to re-post it, because it disappeared!  Yes indeed.  I'm not sure what happened to this post, but after I published it, I went back the next day, and it was gone.  I have asked Blogger tech support to help me, but they have not yet responded, and it seems perhaps the post is gone forever, and so.... I'm going to give it a second shot, and hope that all goes well this time around!  Hopefully the second time is a charm... but even more likely.... is the probability that once I post this a second time, Blogger will probably show up and repost the original one... lol!

It had been a long time since my dear friend SL and I had been able to hike together.  Reason being that hunting season was open and we did not care to be the target for some over-zealous hunter! And now that winter is here, hiking is just so much more fun anyway, because the snow adds such beauty and dimension to everything you see! Plus, it is a much better workout, hiking in snow! Ohhh....  those calves really get a workout when you are walking in 2-3" of snow!

Cheetah, my friend's dog, was super excited to be on the hike with us.  She could hardly wait while we got all our warm clothing on.  I thought about how the Lord created animals with perfect clothing for every season of the year.  Dogs don't ever have to put boots on, or mittens, or scarves, or jackets or any of that!  Their beautiful coat of fur just grows thicker in winter, and lighter in summer... it is amazing how the Lord God took care of their clothing needs!  Sometimes I'm jealous of the life of dogs... LOL... !

Cheetah was in a hurry to get back on the hiking trail, because there was a lot of business she had to tend to, which had gone unattended for far too long!

She took her job very seriously, and was on high alert the whole time we hiked.  Some very important detective work needed her intent attention! There was no time for play... it was serious business here!

While we walked, I realized that our hike was going to be a rather noisy, but yet .... silent one...

You see, the snow we were walking in was very crisp and crunchy, and every step we took was so loud to the point that we could not hear each other at all.  Not to mention that we were both bundled up with scarves, and hats with our ears covered to protect from the cold.  With all the extra insulation, plus the loud crunchiness of the snow, we found ourselves yelling at each other just to say something simple.

Before long, we realized, it was just going to be easier to have a silent hike, and enjoy the beauty around us, and save our voices for later.... so onward we continued.... noisily crunching along, but silently enjoying the beauty around us...
 

We passed through a swampy area, and soaked up the glistening beauty of the snow frozen on the trees ...

 It was a silent, magical, sparkling wonderland!

As we came to an outcropping, we stopped to take in the view spread out before us.  Cheetah though... was still on high alert.... she had no time to stop and enjoy the mountains spread out before us... nope... she was still collecting information to report to headquarters on all who had passed through here since she'd been here last... and it was quite an intensive procedure for her!

The sun was starting to fade fast, and a rosy glow began to coat everything.

What is it Cheetah?  It always makes me look too when I see her just standing still.... watching!  We always pay attention to the dogs when we hike since their senses are much more in tune than ours...
but after a minute, she must have concluded it was nothing to be concerned about, and she went back to her intensive detective work!

Mount Spokane off in the distance, with just a sprinkle of snow.  I think there were a lot of skiers disappointed in the amount of snowfall this year, and hoping for more!

We hiked for about an hour, and it was just the perfect amount of time to get our muscles back into shape.  When we got back to the house, a cup of tea was the perfect way to relax and visit together after this invigorating silent hike!  Whenever we hike together, we are always sharing about the goodness of the Lord in our lives, and it was nice to sit down and visit together over a steaming cup of hot tea.  It is such a blessing to be able to share with one another all that the Lord has been doing in our lives.  Before long though, the sun was setting, and it was a reminder to me that my kids would be home soon from school, and dinner needed to happen, and it was time for me to leave.  It was a wonderful time spent together, and we are already looking forward to when it can happen again!

And, I just had to share these pictures with you... I hope I've not bored you with my sunrise and sunset pictures... but truly, the sunrises and sunsets this year have been incredible and each one so different from the last.  It is amazing how the handiwork of the Lord continues to be creatively unique day in and day out!

If I was a painter, I would just LOVE to be able to try to recapture the beauty of the colors in this sunset... just once!

But alas... painting is not something I've ever been able to do.... BUT I can take pictures!  So, that is my way of sharing and rejoicing in the beauty the Lord showcases for us every day... if we just take the time to look!

Goodnight dear sun!  Your show tonight was extravagant!

I'll leave you today with a quote from George Washington Carver that says,

"I love to think of nature

As an unlimited broadcasting station

Through which God speaks to us every hour

If only we will tune in." 

Amen!