Really?

When I got up this morning (at 5:30 a.m. on my day off) and saw all the heavy wet snow weighing down the pine branches and sticking to the leafless trees, I thought it may make for a photo worthy morning. But, as I sat in the old lazy boy sipping my tea and watching "Sweet 16" on MTV, I realized the sun was in no mood to help sparkle the snow, so we both lazied our Saturday morning. While doing what I do and googling to help wake up my mind, the fog decided to lend a hand and change up my photography expectations. I geared up in double fleece, opted for jeans rather than pajama pants and, with fingerless gloves on and camera in hand, ventured an early moring walk (definitely not usually a choice I make).

Just me, the trees, the breeze and the birds, I experienced a full sensory morning. Thunump, thunump as the snow slid off the branches and joined the layer on the ground. Cherurp, caw, cherurp, caw, caw as the birds all awakened to a hazy morning with all there green taken back. Spleoop, spleoop---spleoop, spleoop as my boots hit warm pavement under melting slushy snow. Hu-ho, hu-ho, hu-ho as I huffed on my trek back to the house, and realized I am quite out of shape thanks to an extra long winter.

Finger tips frozen and a caterpillar shocked by a fall from a snowy tree branch, I share with you my end-of April U.P. morning. If I was a fist shaker, I'd be shaking it at the weather man who forecasted 60 degrees and sunny tomorrow.

Shadow Hopping

Today, as Bits and I are in the kitchen eating our strawberry granola bars and dancing to the music in our heads, I realized there was no other child in this world better suited for me.

We took another family walk in our soon to be spring U.P. and Bits shadow hopped my silhouette and giggled every time he misstepped.

Mike has, for sure, lost any hope of increasing his heart rate and attaining an actual quality walking pace when I'm along for the stroll, because my "shiny object syndrome" always gets in the way. Something wonderful that I see today may not look the same tomorrow, so the need to capture the moment always compels me to stop even with the frustrated vocalizations of my husband. Honestly, do you not see the beauty in the peeling paint of a green light pole against the receding snow in the background?

I can't help myself...I like what I like and my eyes scan constantly for new inspirational shots. People should feel lucky that I'm not taking pictures of all the dog poo left by our cold friends during their winter walks (honestly, I'd have enough pics. to make a substantial coffee table book).

Take Time to Look at the Oddites in the Water

As my stress levels even out, I can once again appreciate the little things and take time to examine bubbles in the water.

I'm still spending most evenings painting walls and trim at our soon to be new home. Don't we all look better with a fresh coat of paint?

In the Land of Ice Fairies

Waking up this morning, between rubbing my eyes into focus and inwardly debating between coffee or tea for my morning caffeine, I peeked out the kitchen window to see an amazing show thanks to the play between frosty tree tips and the rising sun. All of the landscape seemed taken out of a classically illustrated children's book. Elegantly detailed.

With pajama pants on, hoodie zipped, and hat pulled down over my ears, I ran out to click here and there. These mornings are worth the winter cold, and seemingly never ending season. I won't get to see frost like this on a July morning, even here in the U.P. (at least I think so).

It's so Cold when You're only Wearing One Glove

I am always caught in amazement by the beauty that is all around us. My backyard is just spilling with simple beauty, and yesterday was no exception. The trees, weeds, and bushes were covered with a thick, icy frost. Everything wearing the same amount of a glistening shield; every needle of each pine tree branch, coated.

I ran out in the morning chill to capture images before the sun had its time to melt it all away. I caught myself just staring at the way the trees stood tall up into the blue winter sky, while my ungloved photography hand froze. Man, if we all could have time to just stand around and stare, attempting to take it all in, so engrossed that we forget entirely about the cold and the freeze against our skin. It's natural beauty like this that speaks in great volume of God's love for us!

As the daylight changed in the morning, so did the looks of the sky and trees. I had great views from the windows of our little rental home.