Winter wonders…
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalm 145:3-5
But now she loved winter. Winter was beautiful “up back” - almost intolerably beautiful. Days of clear brilliance. LM Montgomery
Winter can be a tough season for this mountain hiking girl, as snow prohibits most hiking during winter and early spring in the high Sierra. So, I do occasionally snowshoe to experience the beauty of the Sierras in that quiet season. I usually snowshoe with a friend for companionship, safety, and as a distraction from the exertion required to snowshoe. As I prepared to go snowshoeing one weekday in March, it was difficult to find anyone to go with me. I reached out to a dear friend, who is an artist (painter), but she said that she needed to stay in the studio and paint, even though the day promised to be sunny and welcoming with fresh snow. As I prepared to go on my own anyway, I got a text back from her saying that she would come along after all. The sunshine and fresh mountain air, with a friend, were inviting her to take a break.
We went to a valley in the mountains where I knew that we could enjoy views of a snowy stream as well as a big meadow. We proceeded first to the snowy stream area though it was hard going since we were breaking trail. As we meandered along the stream, the beauty of the winter vistas took my breath away (or was it the hard work of snowshoeing?). The branches of the snowy trees at the edge of the stream held countless snow diamonds twinkling in the sunlight. Intense baby blue ice and delicate intricate formations of ice rimmed rocks in the moving water and along the snowy shoreside. The mountains stood white and strong against a vivid blue sky. Wonder blessed my soul as I gazed upon God’s winter artwork.
My friend was joyous as she viewed the incredible winter scenery. She snapped photos of the sparkling landscape and talked about how it would help her paint more natural looking features in her winter paintings. She was delighted that she had taken the day to experience such beauty. I took photo after photo myself for Paths of Joy. The joy of fellowship paired with the inspiration of nature made for a day that neither of us will ever forget.
Sometimes our “play” really is restoration for the soul and inspiration for our work! So go have some fun this winter!
