Winter Stroll

ONE THING ABOUT HAVING A ‘HOT HOLIDAY’ IS THAT WHEN I RETURN I CAN TOTALLY APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF WINTER …INSTEAD OF DREADING IT. 

AFTER MORNING MASS TODAY I TOOK A STROLL AROUND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO FOCUS ON THE LOVELINESS OF THE SOFT EARLY  LIGHT  ON THE WINTER LANDSCAPE AROUND ME.  ( FULL DISCLOSURE : I STILL DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE WALKING AROUND ON THE SNOW AND ICE SO I ACTUALLY DROVE AROUND .) 

THE PRETTY RED BERRIES HANG ON TO THEIR BRANCHES AND THEY FEED THE HEARTY BIRDS OR WANDERING DEER .  THEIR BEAUTY FEEDS MY SOUL AS THE TOUCH OF RED AGAINST THE ‘BLANK CANVAS’ OF SNOW IS SUCH A WONDERFUL POP OF COLOUR.

MANY LONG GRASSES STAND TALL AND WITHSTAND THE WINDS AND I NOTICED A FEW TREES ARE EVEN HANGING ON TO THEIR LEAVES DESPITE WEEKS OF WINTER. ( I STILL MARVEL AT THE NEWS REPORT THAT EDMONTON WAS THE ‘COLDEST PLACE ON THE PLANET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO !) 

ATTRACTIVE BENCHES AWAIT A WARM BODY TO MELT THE SNOW AND ENCOURAGE A PERSON TO SIT AND ENJOY THE VIEW.  AND I HAVE ALWAYS FELT BLESSED TO LIVE NEAR OUR RIVER VALLEY WHICH IS GORGEOUS AT ANY TIME OF YEAR. 

I THINK I MIGHT BE LIKE ONE OF THE SUNFLOWERS IN THE PHOTO ABOVE.  THEIR HEADS ARE BOWED BUT THEY STAND TOGETHER IN FAITH …KNOWING THAT BEFORE LONG SPRING RAINS WILL MELT THE LAST OF THE DIRTY SNOW .  KNOWING FOR SURE THAT  THEY WILL SOON LIFT THEIR EYES TO THE SUN AND SPREAD THEIR PETALS LIKE A PERSON WITH ARMS STRETCHED OUT .  A PERSON SMILING AND SAYING , ” THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.  THANK YOU FOR THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD AND FOR MY NEAR AND DEAR FRIENDS.  THANK YOU THAT I HAVE PRODUCED SEEDS THAT WILL FLOURISH.  AND THANK YOU FOR THE WARMTH I FEEL IN MY HEART …. NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER .  THERE IS MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR….. ”