“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!” ~Thomas Wentworth Higginson
I like the seasons of the year. Each one brings its own gifts, and one of the gifts of winter is snow. So far this winter, our area is in a snow drought. Instead of snow we’ve had lots and lots of rain. But in years past we’ve had plenty of opportunity to enjoy the beauty of snow. When it does snow around my way, it brings the birds to my feeders.
“Snow isn’t just pretty. It also cleanses our world and our senses, not just of the soot and grime of a mining town, but also of a kind of weary familiarity, a taken-for-granted quality to which our eyes are all too susceptible.” ~John Burnside
I live on a farm, not in a town. But the snow can still transform my landscape too. Suddenly it can turn the farm into a place of beauty. Mud is covered up. Weeds are gone. Everything is white and beautiful. Sometimes even the tree limbs.
“There’s just something beautiful about walking in snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special.” ~Carol Rifka Brunt
That is one of the pleasures of walking through a field of new fallen snow out here on the farm. I can be the one to leave the first trail across an expanse of pristine white. Well, that is if I can beat my dogs to it. Sometimes I hate making that first trail and spoiling the smooth beauty of the snow. It’s also a great time to check out those tracks that might have been made before I got there to see if I can tell what animals have traversed the field. You know the animals are there. Foxes. Coyotes. Rabbits. Deer. Wild turkeys. Sometimes I see them, but often I don’t. But they are there. Their tracks give them away.
“Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.” ~William Hamilton Gibson
This is a picture from several years ago. The dog is my sweet Oscar that I lost to bone cancer a couple of years ago. He did like to go walking in the snow with me and it was when I could get the best pictures of him. I like walking in a quiet falling snow. Blizzards I can do without, but when the snowflakes drift down soft and easy, it’s a great time to be out in the snow.
“A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together!” ~Unknown
“Snow brings a special quality with it—the power to stop life as you know it dead in its tracks.” ~Nancy Hatch Woodward
I hope you enjoyed this memory stroll back through some winter snows with me and the quotes too. While sometimes snow can be inconvenient if a person has to travel somewhere, snow does serve useful purposes on farms like mine as it soaks into the ground.
What do you like about snow? Do you pause and take a snow day? Enjoy it from the warm side of a window? Or are you out in the middle of it catching snowflakes to see if they really are all different?
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” ~Aristotle
Comments 25
I was thankful for our snow day. We went out to play in it. We were out there for almost an hour. I hope we get one or two more snowfalls before Spring. I love the snow!!!!
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Fun times, April. It seemed a perfect snow for making a snowman or two. I’m sure Emma had a great time.
I’m originally from Illinois. We would get a lot of snow in the countryside. I always loved looking at a fresh fallen snow, as I said “it covers up all the ugliness.” So white and so pure that on a moonlight night, I would turn off all the lights in the house and watched the shadows from the moon. In fact, I could read a newspaper by the moonlight, as it was so bright.” I really kind of miss those snows and it’s huge drifts.
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Sounds as though you know snow, Eileen. Moonlight on snow can make for some interesting shadows. Snow does brighten up the world. We don’t usually have deep enough snows to make huge drifts, but we have had a few of those snows over the years. They made for some good memories. Those “you remember the winter of whatever year when the snow drifted as high as the fence posts.” Actually we did have one year back in the seventies when the snow was so deep that we couldn’t get out our lane in a car until March. But no snows like that lately.
I’m one of those that loves the warm side of a window when it snows. I love the beauty of snow and the coziness it brings. I’ve always thought it makes coffee and popcorn taste better. To curl up with a good book on a snowy day….life just doesn’t get much better!
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I like the warm side of the window much of the time too, Donna. And I agree about the popcorn although I’ll take mine with hot cocoa. Not a coffee person. But a book in my hand while snow falls on the other side of the window sounds good. At least, I might be able to enjoy that after I take the dogs for a walk and snap some more pictures. 🙂
It is pouring snow here in OH , we had ice this morning. Our farm is beautiful as the fields and woods become transformed into a winter wonderland. The goats are tucked into the barn with fresh bedding , hay , and a bucket of warm water ; their favorite beverage on a cold day ! I enjoy walking over the trails looking for tracks and watching many birds visit the feeders as evening approaches. I miss my special dog Lucky … he loved the snow …we had many memorable walks together ….he was black like your Oscar…..great opportunity for a photo !!
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Black dogs do take great pictures in the snow, Nancy. Of course, my current black dog, Frankie, hardly stays still enough for my to capture his picture in the snow. We do miss those special dogs who walked through some of our lives with us. I hope you didn’t get covered up too much in the snow and I’d rather not have ice even though it can be beautiful when it coats every tree limb and bush and then the sun comes out to make the world sparkle. With animals to care for you have to get out into the snow, don’t you? Thanks for sharing your snow day with us.
I think the snow is beautiful but I enjoy it from inside as the cold doesn’t go well with my fibromyalgia and arthritis. Your photos are beautiful.
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Thanks, Lucy. I enjoyed sharing the pictures with you all. Sometimes snow if prettier when you’re on the inside in the warm looking out. My bird picture was taken through the window.
Snow days are the best days to write.
What a great thought! I now have a new book to read.
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They are now, Debra, but when I had school age kids, they were the days when it was hard to get time to write. And now I have to take those walks to take more pictures. 🙂
Snow.
Peace. Serenity. Calm.
Joy.
Early this morning, we awoke to a light dusting of snow. In central Texas. Many memories crept into my mind. Snowfalls always bring a feeling of joy. Sledding, snow forts, snowmen, snowballs, all a part of my childhood, experienced with family and friends. I remember bundling my children (my own and my students) as they could hardly wait to get outside. Hot chocolate breaks with my red cheeked sons and daughter were filtered with laughter. After snow clothes had been duly dried, back on went bread bags over warm, dry socks since snow boots might still be wet inside. They loved playing outside, no matter the weather, but especially in the snow. Then our country yard held a landscape of footprints (from children and pets), snow angels, snowmen, sled runner ruts. What special memories you have awakened, Ann. Thank you for your inspiring words.
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Beautiful memories, Becky. You’ve shared some vivid pictures of good times in the snow with your kids. And my kids and especially my grandkids were always ready for hot chocolate after a while in the snow. I’ve done that bread sacks over socks trick too.
Your photos are beautiful! I, too, love each season. I believe God gives us beauty to enjoy in every moment of every season. 🙂 Today, the forecast is for rain and wind in the Lowcountry of SC. Have a blessed day!
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Thank you, Melissa. I like taking snow pictures and other pictures too to capture a bit of nature’s beauty. I’ve always said I wouldn’t want to live where there weren’t the four seasons although I have been known to get weary of winter in February. 🙂
Hope you were safe in the storms that went through SC. My daughter lives over on the other side of SC and they had trees down in her neighborhood after a tornado there.
Good morning ,Ann! Thanks for sharing! To me, a snowy day is a wonderful opportunity to drink some tea while reading a book and admire God’s Beautiful Creation! ❄Psalm 51:7❄
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Ahh, a day to pause and enjoy, right, Emily? I used to have fun with the kids when they had to miss school because of snow. We’d play games or as you said, read a book. A snow day can be a break you need from a regular routine. But then I’ve had snow days where I couldn’t stay home and had to be out on those slick roads. Didn’t like the snow much as times like those.
We so rarely have snow in Houston, TX, that I almost don’t remember what it’s like. I grew up in Richmond, VA, however, so I can remember some things about it there. I used to love the quiet of a snowy day. Much of the usual traffic noises cease. I used to love to hear the crunch of walking through snow that had kind of frozen over and formed a crust. In Houston, when it snows, the white doesn’t last very long and has melted before one has a chance to do much in it. Since I was a teacher and administrator, snow days with no school were rare but a treat when they occurred. As long as we didn’t have more than about two such days, we didn’t have to make them up because we built a couple of extra days into the calendar.
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Virginia can have some good snows, Suzanne, but I’m guessing Texas is a whole different climate. When I was a kid we missed a lot of school for snow days. But that was because many of the roads in our county were twisty and dangerous for the buses to go on if there was snow. That’s still true in a lot of places in our county today, but this year the kids haven’t had to miss any. I’m sure they are all hoping for snow tonight as forecast so they can have a long weekend. The teachers will be hoping with them. LOL.
I used to love the first snow of the year while driving home from work at night. It was so beautiful to see that snow silently drifting down in front of me. I no longer live where it snows, but I have some beautiful photos.
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You live down there where the warm breezes blow now, Nancy, but sounds as if you have some good snow experiences. I enjoy taking pictures of the snow too. I had a hard time deciding which ones to use in this post. I tried to pick pictures that went with the quotes I found.
I love the purity of the white snow and the brightness it brings to a dark night. I love to walk in the snowflakes coming down but I hate the cold. We are expecting a snow storm again tomorrow so may not get to choir as I think I don’t like is driving in it.
Author
Snow does make everything whiter and brighter, Marjorie. I like being out in the snowflakes sometimes, but can do without those biting winds. We’re supposed to get snow tonight. And my husband has a doctor appointment tomorrow. We may get to give the snowy roads a try.