I opened the blinds and looked into the morning slack-jawed with surprise. Wait… is that? It is! Snow… lots of snow! Christmas card, perfect snow.
Only three days earlier, we enjoyed record warm temperatures for November. Two days earlier I was hiking in shirtsleeves. No one had forecast snow, much less a blanket of it.
Like a little kid, I ran from window to window laughing and oh-wowing at the scene.
I cannot remember the last time I was so utterly and joyfully surprised.
With my camera ready for wide scenes of snow-tipped pines reflected on water, I hurried over to the lake. God had painted with a muted palette that morning. Without the sun’s glare, the world was all soft whites and grays and deep greens with only a hint of blue in the bright overcast skies. I breathed thanks as I walked around the lake, beautiful from every vantage point.
After about an hour, I switched lenses to “go small” and capture the pattern of snowflakes on a pine cone. But, before I could find the perfect subject, a breeze picked up – enough to sway branches gently and make sharp, close-up photography nearly impossible. I decided to head home.
But not before one last look at the lake.
As I stood under my favorite group of pines enjoying the serenity, God had one more surprise. A gust of wind swirled the snow from the trees into a mini-blizzard. I laughed out loud and drew up my camera to snap blindly in my snow globe world.
Thank You, Lord. Thank You for the beauty. Thank You for the surprises.
May we who are decades beyond our childhoods long remember not just the beauty, but also the child-like wonder on the morning of the surprise November snow.
10 Responses
INDEED! Amen.
Your comment made me smile! Thank you, Shelley.
That snow was a beautiful surprise! I love your photos. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
It was so beautiful!
Thank you, DeDe. I’m so thankful to have the time and energy to head out looking for His presents to share.
We are planning to have a wonderful two days of thanksgiving with our families. I pray you have a great one, too. An extra few days with Haley, I hope!
Take care!
I can just hear you “oh-wowing” at the snow outside. I’m in awe of your photography skills, both pictures are great, but I love the trees at the lake and their reflection, that would be beautiful framed and
on a wall. We have so much to be thankful for, we just have to look around us when we forget. Thanks for sharing God’s blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Ha! Yep! I even had our kitty hiding under the sofa. All that running and noise is decidedly NOT part of our normal morning routine!
Thank you, Pam. I’m in awe of what I find in “big views” like sunrises and that snow scene and in the “small view” of wildflowers and dewdrops. And, you are so right: we have much to be thankful for!
Thank you for your kind words, and you have a Happy Thanksgiving, too!
Take care.
What a gorgeous scene! My friend, not many people are as observant as you are. Thank you for sharing such beautiful pictures of God’s presents. I usually miss them!
Thank you, Paulette. I’m so glad you enjoy them. I am often taking pictures and whispering, “Thank You, Lord, for this beauty.” I’ve started thinking of the photos as little thank-you notes to God, and I’m thrilled when others chime in, like you just did, with a “Thank You for that beauty, Lord!”
You may miss “seeing” the beauty of a lake at 6:30 a.m. after a surprise snow, but that’s only because you are busy “being” beautiful in your love and care for Steve.
Take care.
Deb
I just found your latest blog posts in my spam. I will consider finding it a little Christmas Eve gift. I am always impressed by your photography, your way with words and your great faith. Merry Christmas dear friend.
Well, I’m glad you found them BEFORE deleting – as David did with a Christmas gift subscription! Ha!
Thank you for your kind words, Myra.
I’m seeing this after Christmas, so I will thank you sincerely for your Merry Christmas wish. And, I will send your way wishes for a Happy New Year with lots of hiking, biking, and travel!
Take care.
Deb