...here in the north of Sweden, the whole place transforms to a glorious world of pristine whiteness.
...the sky is adorned with clouds in exquisite formations,
and are sometimes gilded with a soft glow of pastel orange.
....the bare twigs are coated with thick furs of snow.
....walking under the canopy of towering white trees is magical.
....the sight of the stately snow-laden spruce trees brings sheer pleasure that lifts one's spirits.
....some days, the trees suddenly abound with little leaves of "glass" as the snows that wrap the twigs melt out and harden into ice that cling to the twigs.
The glassy leaves glimmer as sunlight hits them.
At night, the trees completely turn into translucent glass against the light, and the glassy leaves produce sounds like wind chimes when the wind blows hard.
.... even the air sparkles as the fine snowflakes float in the sunshine before finally joining their fellows that are already resting on the ground.
....when the sun is out, the snowflakes twinkle at me wherever I go. Everywhere is incredibly full of glitters!
Even at night, the snowflakes glitter vibrantly under the moonlight or the street lights.
....the hedges bloom with snow flowers.
....at times, the window panes are stamped with intricate designs of snow crystals.
....the winter sun casts bluish long shadows on the snow.
....each sunset is uniquely magnificent,
diffusing its warm golden hue to anything that comes in touch with its light.
....the nights are illuminated with the brightness of the snow.
These are just a few of the little treasures that winter possesses. There's so much more to see, so much to delight the eyes, so much to make my heart burst with joy.
I love everything in winter (except the disasters brought about by snow storms and slippery roads). I never get tired looking at the whiteness of the landscape, the gentle contours of the freshly layered piles of snows, the glitters that abound everywhere, the snow-loaded trees, the falling snowflakes, the roofs of snow, etc.
I love the cold, the serenity, the cheery sunshine and the restive gloom of the season. I love wearing winter boots and thick jackets with wooly hoods. I love the sound and the feel of the crackling snow under my feet, to walk in the snow, to scoop a handful of it and compress it into a ball.
"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines."
- Henry David Thoreau
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilirating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."
- John Ruskin
I love the cold, the serenity, the cheery sunshine and the restive gloom of the season. I love wearing winter boots and thick jackets with wooly hoods. I love the sound and the feel of the crackling snow under my feet, to walk in the snow, to scoop a handful of it and compress it into a ball.
"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines."
- Henry David Thoreau
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilirating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."
- John Ruskin
I just love to be with the snow! My heart overflows with ecstasy as I feast my eyes on these winter's little gems.
Glory and honor to the Maker of these wonderful things!
(Revelation 4:11)
Glory and honor to the Maker of these wonderful things!
(Revelation 4:11)
(Note: All photos are taken in Umeå, Sweden)
