Freezing Fog

Another common occurrence this winter has been freezing fog, and while it has made chores wet and somewhat difficult, it has also covered everything it touches with beautiful frosty crystals.
Winter wonders... everywhere you look.

four :: mosey + plod

It was a week full of plodding, not much moseying.  A week that it was difficult to remember to look for the beauty in small things.  A week that we found the need to remind ourselves to...

"Walk neither faster nor slower than your own soul.  Because it is your soul that will teach you the usefulness of each step you take."  ~Paul Coelho

mosey + plod walkers

Father Winter's Visit

Father Winter hunkered down for a visit over the holidays bringing all his friends - freezing fog, ice, wind and snow.

While making it difficult to get through daily chores, they have created a winter wonderland that is beautiful to behold.

Every surface is covered with ice.  Every tree is covered with frost.  Many times the same twig has hard rime on one side and soft rime on the other.  Blue skies have been rarely seen, but occasionally the sun would force its way through creating a world full of sparkle.

The sheep, along with the dogs, have packed down snowy paths and feeding areas.  They all really prefer to spend most of the time out in the midst of it all, seeming to only sheek shelter during the windiest of the storms.  Well equipped, by Mother Nature, they are constantly showing off all that wonderful, wooly insulation.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual.
A single photo - no words - capturing a single moment from the week.
A simple, special extraordinary moment.
A moment to pause, savor and remember.
Participating with the SouleMama blog.

Following the Freezing Fog

from the soft pink reflections of dawn to the first light of sunrise striking the mountains

and the graceful birch tree branches

from the tops of the hard rime frosted mountains to the soft rime covered teasel in the old barnyard

from the tree tops in the brilliant blue sky to every tall blade of grass and small seed head

We were blessed with a Sunday that was a spectacular, sun-filled, sparkling winter wonderland.

It was just what we needed to renew our spirits.

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Sugar Frosted Mountains

Above the big turn at Bellview, you could begin to see a strange phenomenom this weekend.  It was not the sugar-frosted trees on top of the hills that we usually see, but pockets of sugar-frosting on the side of the hills; producing an eerie, ghostly, almost fog-like feeling in the mountains.

Closer to home, in our backyard, the strange sugar-frosting continued in the hills to the south and southwest.  It was almost as if something (the wind perhaps) had brushed the snow from the trees on the top of the hills leaving an outline; showing off their fancy curves.

We could also see this beautiful frosty coating looking from the barn, through the pasture.  Some of the trees on the side of the hill above Wolf Creek had a heavy coating of frosty snow that lasted through the weekend.  Could it have been caused by moisture coming up the hollow during the storm?  Whatever the cause, the storm left us with a lovely winter wonderland and contemplating the many artistic talents of Father Winter.

Winter Colours Week - Green

Thursday of the Winter Colour Week over at the Poppytalk blog has arrived, and today the colour is Green.  Check out some of the great pictures in the Flickr Pool.  The count is over 2,100 this morning.

Sugar coated leaves of green grass

Green undergrowth hides a surprise visitor

Frosted coated pine

'Green Leaves of Grass' rainbow-dyed locks of wool

Winter Colours Week - Blue

Over at Poppytalk's Winter Colours Week, Wednesday is Blue.  The beautiful Flickr Pool is approaching 1500 pictures.  We're adding some blues from around the farm this morning... some things that help us get through the winter.



Blue mineral feeders
Their bright blue colors make morning chores go by a little faster



Blue Frosted Tips
Reminding us to look up - enjoy the beauty around us,
appreciate the seldom seen blue sky of winter

A cheerful blue mug of hot green tea makes all things more enjoyable

Our Mountains
Our constant source of strength and inspiration

Weekend Wrap-Up, Day 2

Sunday dawned cold and frosty! The wind chill only reached -3 so the temperatures had everybody scrambling for their own little spot in the sun.

Everyone but Samson... he spent most of his time guarding his dog food because of the day long game/battle he had going on with a murder of crows.

Frosted Sheep

Frosted Flowers