s n o w

Snow has infinite personalities.

    the texture

    the gracefulness

    the quiet and peace.

The sculpting

    the painting

    the art.

The clean smell.

The innocent taste.

Snow can give us just what we need

    -- and challenge us to cope.

It is a little miracle that 

    falls on my heart every time.

If you can't have fun with snow,

   when can you??

Angel Wings Revisited

Some say this is the winter from hell. I say it's been a magical miraculous mysterious marvel. But then I have not outgrown a childlike thrill at seeing the first snowflakes and am still captivated by the purity and pristine beauty of the season.

We have had snowfall after snowfall accompanied by frigid temperatures that tend to preserve snow in its freshness rather than dissolving into the gray mushy stuff that usually follows. We have had extreme wind that "stings your nose and bites your toes" (or is it the other way around?) but that also carves snowbanks into artistic patterns and graceful shapes. And when the sun comes out, the world goes all sparkly and brilliant.

Then the other day when the temperatures never climbed above zero, I went out before work to get the car started. I wanted it to warm up while I went back inside. As I rounded the corner of the house and faced east, I saw in the sky a sight that took my breath away. When I had inhaled at last, I let out a loud victorious howl. There blazing in its glory were two unusually dramatic sun dogs. My favorite! One of my favorites. Two curving pieces of rainbow that accompany the sun -- "dog" the sun. They are most often visible as the sun is near the horizon and under extremely cold conditions. read more  There are other factors too so I find sun dogs are just a delightful surprise. 

I did not take that picture above. My daughter Maggie has a camera in her phone (what will they thing of next?! haha) so she captured this through her windshield on her way to work. I love her for sharing my ecstasy and for taking the time to preserve it. So now I share it with you.

Winter's extreme conditions can cause us aggravation and discomfort and fashion dilemmas (I have hat hair all season!). But winter can also give us pause ... to wonder and grin in awe at sights that are only possible because of the extreme conditions. 

I love it.

                               God's generous hand paints the world in a white beauty 

that transforms the everyday into the extraordinary.