Winter Wonder Wander

Posted byGary FultzPosted inabundant life, accomplishment, adventure, Adventure story, Build Faith, cold, devotional thoughts, dreamer, eternal, Faith, Gary Fultz, Gary Fultz Blog, God in Nature, Inner Peace, intentional, Know God, most imortant relationship, Nature, Nature and Inner Peace, nature pictures, outdoor adventure, Outdoor Adventures, outdoor scenery, outdoor spiritual truths, perspective, Photography, quality of life, snow conditions, solitude, Spiritual Perspective, story teller, victorious living, wilderness adventure, winter, Winter preparedTags:, , , , , , , , ,

Mesmerized, I watch the millions of snowflakes fall. I hurry as they will soon cover the frost covered, well everything outside. It’s impossible to protect the camera as the wind is swirling. It is barely above zero on the Fahrenheit scale. My numb fingers change out the batteries. The snow lets up as I get to the lake in an area protected by spruce and balsams. “Die down wind” I command. It didn’t. In fact, there seemed to be a fresh puff of wind instead. My breath froze in the cold air while wafting away in small clouds between the trees.

 I think I take better pictures when I am in a state of wonder, it’s just a feeling, but sometimes I get used to the same color snow covering the trees the same way every winter. The frosty mornings come often. The frost, like the snow, is very white and always cold enough to freeze unattended fingers (that means wear gloves or mitts). I stand still in the little clearing by the lake. It’s so peaceful here. Mind if I share some of that peace with you? Click on any picture to enlarge and go on.

My last thought as I walk the trail home…”Wow, I know the awesome author of all this”.

I would invite you to take a peek at my other blog posted today as well on “Wintering the Soul”

Gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

114 thoughts on “Winter Wonder Wander”

  7. We are finally getting our first taste of winter here…. shoveled every day this week! Supposed to be -53 degrees with the wind this weekend. I quite certain no camera battery will withstand much in that. Your pictures are lovely – thank you for the peaceful moments. Stay warm!

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    1. Enjoy Erika. You have more snow than us. We are 3 feet behind last year on snowfall. If our winds kick up in about a week our wind chill will be less than yours for sure, even at -20 s real temps. My camera reminds me that it’s more of a Florida gal and the batteries actually shiver (they have an active imagination). Oh, the camera in a cooler with hand warmers works in short bursts.

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    1. I enjoyed it once I got out there Robert. It’s so much easier to watch it all out the window by the fireplace. I’m just glad some of the pictures turned out well as the wind ruined the crisp sharp edges for many of the shots. I do love the adventure side of every trek down the trails through the woods.

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    1. It is beautiful. The low country like swamps and bogs and small lake edges get 5x the covering of heavy frost. Big crystals that look dangerous completely cover some trees. Now the frost is snow covered for a strange look

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    1. Thanks Suzette. I have always thought the weather is on a bungee cord. If we get a good stretch of warm or dry or both…look out. Although sometimes we share our cold and snow with others less fortunate to the south and east…

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    1. Thanks, I was hoping I was not the only one AJ. There are photographers who actually carry a flip out tent to get still shots of plants and small things…I tell myself I am a purist, which is my excuse for being lazy. It’s a bit like not changing hooks when one should quit trying something not working.

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    1. Thank You Nancy. I did. I would be even braver if I did it today. I told my wife I have to graduate to my heavy winter mitts. Gloves keep my hands warm for less than a minute now. The wind is quite happy with itself relocating the snow hither and yon, and in my face.

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    1. Thanks Beth…mission accomplished. I did find out that my old cheaper lens (several of them) cannot capture the crispness of the frost edges. My really good lens took the much better pictures…sigh. God does show us in snippets (like with Adi) his sense of peace in moments. Sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly. I hope we never lose the awe of those moments, knowing they won’t even score very high for those knowing Christ in eternity. I am deeply saddened about those not knowing our creator. No moments forever.

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      1. Yes, may we never lose the awe of those moments with the Creator in His Creation. It breaks my heart at the people I know and meet on my hiking travels who love nature but are dismissive about knowing the God who created it all. Than again there are those like yourself who simply radiate Jesus as they stand in awe of the Creator’s work.

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    1. Thanks, Manette. I am on a learning curve to communicate more and more through frame and lens. It’s like pointing a finger at the real creator, who has put on quite a show of communicating his great love and interest in us knowing him.

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    1. I am glad I see beauty in the smallest things missed by those who don’t pause and really see. There is so much beauty. It’s been a journey for me. As a kid my father would tell me I was not a very observant child (unless there was a fishing rod or basketball involved).

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  20. “I think I take better pictures when I am in a state of wonder.” Isn’t it great to be in a state of wonder? Your pictures are always beautiful – because that is what you see. I think I write better when I am in a state of wonder or appreciation. I find God in nature, too.

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    1. Thanks Donna. I am told this cold snap will reach out and touch a lot of people. There is a beauty to very cold snow, but most of us are trying to stay warm rather than sharing the beauty. If you get cold looking at the pictures, it just means you imagination supersedes reality..

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    1. Thanks Ellie. If you live close to a city, snow begins to gray quickly. If snow is melting or settling from temperatures over 30 degrees, it begins to show any impurities. In the woods and remote areas where we are, it seems to add snowflakes even on a clear day when it’s really cold. The snow here stays pure white all winter long. Mostly what I took pictures of was the huge frost crystals covering everything.

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    1. Thank You Alan. Snow covered everything makes an awesome scene. It’s hard to take a bad picture if the subjects stay still in the wind. But, when the warm moist air moves into a below zero area, the frost covered trees and plants (everything) set the bar on natures beauty extremely high. It’s just fun to be there until body parts are numb.

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  24. Love the photos! The wintering cattails are lovely… The sun-lit woods is enchanting!!! Thank you for braving the cold to get these awesome photographs we all can enjoy! You are right…the touch of God’s hand is everywhere in this snowy wonderland.

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    1. Thank for the encouragement Linda. It struck me as I was out there how even the blades of grass get adorned with majestic crystals. Those cattails are tough on the lakes edge as they get the wind tunnels in every storm. Everything in nature is wintering and surviving, waiting for spring…the explosion of new life from what looks dead.

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  27. So beautiful, Gary! I too have tried to command the harsh weather to stop and been disappointed when it didn’t. And yes, I’ve even had the experience of it worsening in that moment also. So intriguing!

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  28. “For in (Christ) dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9 NKJV). Thank you for sharing His imparted peace bodily to us through these images of your art, Gary. An image of the Savior in each one.

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  29. Wow!!!! That is some frost!!!!!
    Beautiful!!
    I haven’t had a chance to blog about it yet but when I went out to do goat chores a few mornings ago in the barn and saw my goat’s beard with literally 3 solid, thick ice-sickles hanging from it I knew it was time to intervene in a dramatic way. Her and our other mama are expecting their kids any day…the only logical thing to do seemed to me to create a makeshift kidding area right in our attached garage…..a post and pictures to soon follow….
    Take care, friend!!

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    1. Yes, wild frost. A kidding area is a good idea. When my brother had 700 goats, some would kid in extreme cold out in a snowbank. The kids would freeze. He saved many of them that were frozen almost solid by thawing them out slowly in an oven. We knew which ones had to be thawed out because they usually lost their ears. It’s just under – 20 (f) this morning here.

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    1. Thanks Cindy. So true. So many people (around here) live their lives saying “it’s winter, it’s white and cold”. I get laughed at a lot when I am in the ditch with my camera and tri-pod taking pictures of the littel things, Like the frost or cattails or the hundreds of Lady slippers in the spring. It is good to be amazed at how the snowflakes sit on spruce needles and look at them from underneath.

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    1. Wow, it got you more than us. We got the high winds and a little colder instead. It is incredibly awesome…a good view of a perfect snowflake or frost crystal and I know I’m seeing something connected to the eternal God, the ultimate creator. Way beyond our thoughts and ways.

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    1. Yes Anna. I do not know how anyone can view the intricacies of something as simple as snow and not go immediatly to God as creator and commander of all we see. I love that verse and passage.

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    1. Thank You Jim. So many things in nature are poise to show Gods handiwork, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I often feel sorry for those who look but don’t see. There is no feeling of beauty in their heart.

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  35. Your pictures make me miss frosty Colorado mornings. It is indeed such a wonder that we know the creator of such majestic beauty! Thanks for sharing. We didn’t get any snow here in South Carolina this year, so I was missing the chill white for Christmas and winter =)

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    1. For some reason I thought the snow made it down there…sorry.
      I get pictures sent from Colorado, they got walloped a few times this winter.
      It’s been mild here but winter is on a bungee cord and making up for lost time.

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    1. Ha, thanks Deb, I think. I might have a heart attack if the weather ever obeyed me. I’m really not sure about the frost bite…I don’t think so. The tripod gets my fingers really cold though.
      I rode the ATV in -40 wind chills today so recovering from that too (another story). I saw the largest sundog over my neighbors flag today and couldn’t thaw my fingers out quick enough (From ATV ride) to get the greatest shot with frosted trees in the distance. Sigh.
      The camera starts shaking when I start putting my winter clothes on. My imagination I’m sure.

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    1. I’m curious on why you like this time of year? I think there are a lot of good reasons myself.
      It’s a tougher season in the further north one is for outside people, but those who lean into it have some real perks. I rode ATV today in -40 windchill factor. Nice riding with the wind but I had to come back. The grandkids love my homemade sled for behind the ATV, but we have to thaw them out later.

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      1. I grew up in the deep South. I prayed that if I ever got to cooler weather, I would never complain about the cold. The last winter before being laid off the following October, I shoveled snow every morning, even doing the neighbor’s sidewalk. I never lost that joy of seeing snow fall. And I think nothing more beautiful that wet snow on trees or the brilliant spangle patterns of frost on the windshield of the car. And the age old saying, you can always add more layers, but there is just so much you can remove when you get too hot.

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    2. Aha, you get it…and so true on the clothes. I too love the snow. I have winter camped several times, once in -38 degrees in the wilderness. It got above zero the third day. The secret to staying warm is to never get cold. I’m probably done winter camping…it’s a young body sport to stay active enough to keep warm.

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  41. tx much for visiting my site. I love anything to do with books & would be thrilled if you’d write a guest blog post for my site, which is for anyone who enjoys writing, or books, and all the arts. If you think it might be fun or helpful to have my followers (who total about 10k across my various social media) meet you, here’s the link for general guidelines: https://wp.me/p6OZAy-1eQ – best, da-AL

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  42. I’m sorry I’m late checking out this beautiful post. Like you, Gary, I live in a “constant state of wonder”. I can’t help it. Thank you for braving the elements to capture our Creator’s splendor! I particularly love that “weeds” can look as magnificent as the raspberry and cattails with the amazing crystallized ice. How the sun is reflecting the frost between the trees depicts the hope I have during the “icy” seasons. I FEEL the warmth of our Savior! And gosh, Gary,…I’m so glad you didn’t get frostbite! I’m sure you’re a seasoned expert on trying to stay warm BEFORE frostbite sets in. I bet you have stories to share! And I’m so tickled with how you share your love of Christ and his creation to all of us—through your amazing captures AND words! It’s so peaceful, my friend. Many blessings and prayers to you and yours.

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    1. No worries, Karla. The frozen pictures I post get quite similar to posts from years ago. Yet, they are new as every season is new, yet similar.
      I graduated in a class of 120 students. very shy and quiet. If I were a plant, I would have been in the “weed” category. Like God’s grace the frost is not selective one over the other…Those weeds sure dress up nice.

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    1. Thanks Wayne. The frozen lake had a fog bank roll in and all around the edge of the lake, frost accumulated on everything as it was way below freezing…a recipe for extremely heavy frost and very cold fingers. It lasted till the sun broke through the clouds and then the frost literally fell off like it was snowing. Amazing.

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