3.10.2022

seeing sparkles

If you read my last post than you know, we found Winter. Better said it found us and I found all it's wintery glory!

Thank you Mother Nature, for showing me it is never too late to find a sparkle in life!!

Monday was a fun day. I woke up to beautiful tree's tipped in frosty white:



The trees stopped me in my tracks every single time I walked past our window. Wooing me outside, over and over. Coat, no coat, didn't matter. I couldn't help myself. I would take a few photos, then back outside take video. Although I probably already have a dozen similar videos and a ton of photos with similar views. Mostly, I just soaked the fleeting beauty in.
 

While I am absolutely ready for Spring, there is beauty that only a fresh coat of snow offers. 

I dusted off my snow shoes and headed out to the woods to immerse myself in the white wintery wonder. What a gift! 


every branch of our spooky trees was painted white

making them look, less spooky

(watch out tho, they might still grab you or poke you in the eye lol)



How have I never noticed the ONE oak that has managed to survive

in the middle of the connecting pine dominant path?!

It is scrawny for an oak of that stature, but beckoned for attention.



snow covered pines lean in swallowing the main trail
the weight of the snow, resting on their bendy branches

Jameson & Tank got their chase zoomies on dodging through snow covered trees. I caught the slower tail end of their play:



18 seconds of a lingering game of chase

Winter's magic returned the following morning. The kind I've been missing. Brad came back from turning the horses out and said "trees are covered with ice". Say no more. I put warmer clothes and trackers on, and went outside to get lost in sparkly wonder. For who knows how long. I completely lost track of time.

Doesn't everyone wander aimlessly in single digits?


some of my favorite tree tops glowing



 the sun was just beginning to shine it's beautiful light



hoar frost or rime ice, you decide




After my frozen adventure, I watched a newscast video on the differences of Rime vs Hoar frost. I learned Hoar frost is light enough to blow off and reminded of how dangerous built up Rime Ice can be. I think we had the latter. Although, I did not see a single branch coated in actual ice. Perhaps we had a combination.

One thing for sure, I was seeing sparkles!


weeds can be beautiful


My views ran the gamut of foggy, bright, sparkly, shaded and dark:


into the unknown









No walk is complete without these curious inspectors running over to get a closer look:



Nemo and Cierra

While the horses were checking things out, I experienced the most incredible thing...I stood there with my mouth hanging open...is that, um fairy dust?? 


There were sparkles gently floating, right before my eyes! They were hanging mid air, about the height of the top of the fence posts. Just a-sparkling away!!


I couldn't believe it! In fact, I rubbed my eyes more than once. Just to make sure it wasn't bright sun affecting my eyes. Nope, the sparkles were real!


For a moment, time stood still.

Sparkles lingered softly in the air. Going no where. Not up or down.

They stayed, right in front of me. Perhaps a message? 

Twinkling. Like star dust.

Simply AmaZing!!



sparkles are SO hard to capture



a few lower sparkles are slightly visible in dark area's
 


she thought she saw fairy dust

I didn't want to leave the magical sparkles, but my toes were getting cold from standing still in snow for so long. All good things must come to an end, but the effect of my experience sure didn't.

Before ya'll think I am eleven short of a dozen, I know sparkles are created by the sun hitting moisture particles in the air. However, that doesn't make them any less magical to me!! 




Cierra


I will treasure beautiful moments like these. Forever.






7 comments:

C-ingspots said...

Wow, how cool is that?! I want to see sparkly fairy dust too!! Yours is a beautiful, albeit cold wintry wonderland! We've had just one snowfall this winter, and it only lasted for maybe a week. But that's pretty long for us. We've surpassed our annual rainfall quota - all in the first weeks of February - if I'm not mistaken, and have had our share of crisp, sunshiney days. I'm for the most part, enjoying our winter. A big change for me! But spring is looming, our plum tree is blooming, my daphne is flowered and perfuming the air, and pussy willows and daffodils abound! Before you know it, a new season will be upon us. Glad to hear you're all doing well. Horses are looking fat and your world is spectacular in winter. Life is good!

Shirley said...

What a treasure! I love the photos of the trees in the fog, and the one "into the unknown"
All painted by the Master's Hand.
And Cierra with her snow moustache :o)

Val Ewing said...

Love those photos and love the fog and frost! You sure nailed it.
We didn't get that at all, but I am so pleased to look and drool over your photos!

My dad and I used to call the sparkles 'Snow Diamonds'. Nemo and Cierra look beautiful.

I do love how fresh snow and morning light combine.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Thank you! A much needed reminder to appreciate the real beauty that we have around us

aurora said...

It is so great to hear from you again Lorie! You must live in a good spot out West. It wasn't pretty Winter weather for so many out in your neck of the woods. Glad you are doing well. Yes, we are all fat & sassy at our place ~ including me! I certainly didn't do Nemo & especially Cierra any justice with my photo. I am heading over to your blog next, and look forward to reconnecting more often.

Shirley, the different views and light on this ever changing morning was incredible. "Into the unknown" was a stand out and spoke volumes to me. Literally & figuratively. I've never gone into those pines. We own about a half a dozen-ish rows of tree's in, and then it is my neighbors property. We are friends and one of these days I will explore that stand of pines. It has the most beautiful morning light!

Val, I wondered if your area got frosted. My fog photos reminded me of you :) Interestingly, it was the only foggy area on our property. Which is unusual. Our fog is usually wide spread and hovering in lower areas. Those trees are on the higher side of our property "where the wild things are". I keep going back and forth on Rime vs Hoar frost... Snow Diamonds, I like it!

You are welcome Sherry. Life is more beautiful when shared with others.

Thank everyone, for all your kind words!!

Far Side of Fifty said...

Foggy photos are just awesome, what fun with your camera! Whatever the white stuff was it was beautiful. I love the sparkles in the sunshine too...hard to capture in a photo!

Linda said...

That is definitely magical, a last gift from winter. I think nature is one big sign from the universe, fairy dust and all. Not everyone listens, but it has something to tell. In the documentary, path of the horse, I think that was the name of it, one of the horsemen was talking about what we will remember when our life is coming to a close, and he said that it isn’t the big things, it is the small things, like one leaf falling from a tree…or sparkles off ice.