Snow cascades from the trees.

Avalanches flowing down their trunks,
gathering at the base like waterfalls.

Are they breathing in the soft afternoon breeze,
or are they shivering from winter's cold?

Shaking and quivering,
trying to stay warm.

Dropping the weight from their limbs,
creating snow storms of their own.

Nature's beauty on display everywhere one looks.

Ribbons sag and wiggle along the fence tops,
creations like nothing man could ever reproduce.

As temperatures warm,
and gravity pulls hard,
spilling each toward the ground.

Hanging up between fence boards,
wrapping them in wispy cotton gauze.

Hating! yes I said hating the cold of winter.
I stand looking at this winter wonderland.

How can anyone miss her blessings, I ask myself?
I need to embrace winter's wonders more.

My eyes begin to sparkle in awe,
at this panorama stretched out before me.

I can't help feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
Nature, does bring such warmth to my soul.

She is Earth's Mother.
She is my muse.
She is beauty personified.

She is awe inspiring,
no matter the season.
Enjoy her blessings,
you need not a reason.

Epilogue:

After an intense snow storm, that dropped a near record amount of snow. 39 centimetres. (for my friends who don't understand the metric measurements, that is 16 inches.) The record, for the most snow fall in a 24hour period 40cm was set in 1926. Before anyone pipes up; no I am not old enough to remember that event.

Living in the country, our driveway is long and steep. I have to depend on my own resources if we do not want to be snow bound for the rest of the winter.

As there is no one else to do it for us, without cost. My labour is cheap, aw hell what am I talking about, I'm cheap.

I spent 6.5 hours the first day shovelling, then plowing with my tractor the 30 cm/12 inches that had fallen, starting in the early afternoon the previous day. Snowing overnight and still falling when I got up in the morning.

Waking the second morning to another 4 inches/ 10cm, but no fluffy stuff falling from the sky. I spent another 5 hours doing the same thing. Snow is now piled high everywhere.

I did also manage to get to my neighbours and plow them out. They are older than I and not in as good health. They are no longer snowbound.

At the end of the day, feeling every joint and muscle aching I was able to park my tractor back under cover. I am sure the old girl,( my tractor, not my wife) just 10 years younger than her owner, felt the strain in her joints as well. I am so thankful to have her help for the past 24 years.

My wife drew my attention to the snow sculptures everywhere. All I was thinking was how I hate winter and how it makes me ache.

The beginnings of this writing were spawned. It is all her fault.

Thanks goes out to my wife for the cover photo, and her inspiring observations, as she made me aware of the beauty surrounding us.