Most of our winter days look like this. Or worse - we might be under nimbostratus. At least when I took this picture, there was some variation in the sky.
A lot of variation when one took a closer look.
However, a few weeks ago, we had a spectacular sunset. I was sequestered in my room and unable to walk outside, but I grabbed my camera anyway and climbed up on my desk. There’s a mighty good reason why my bedroom has double windows facing due west.
The sky was clear and cold - a perfect contrast to the clouds which appeared to be on fire.
Here’s a different kind of exposure. I love playing with my camera settings!
Sunsets really have to be watched because the colors fade rapidly.
Beautiful, simply beautiful.
Yesterday morning, I awoke to a strange sight in northern Texas - a winter wonderland. Mom came up and got me up extra early so I could see the snow while it was still blue in the low light conditions. Well, we seldom get snow (and certainly never like this!) so I decided to venture forth and snap a few pictures while I had the chance.
Here we have a flock of robins passing overhead.
For some odd reason, we have thousands of robins amassed in huge groups that rival the winter gatherings of blackbirds. I’m not sure why, exactly. Either I’ve never noticed this before, or it’s never happened. I would prefer to think the latter.
My Silver Maple tree is actually silver!
This is my pathetic attempt at a snowman. It fell over.
Abigail trying to build a snow fort. The snow wasn’t deep, which is why the snowballs are so muddy.
We put out seed for the birds, and instantly had flocks of sparrows at our beck and call.
Here is Mr. Cardinal. Notice his chickadee companion to the right.
Mrs. Cardinal.
The mockingbirds weren’t too happy with the constant snow. This one kept ruffling his feathers to rid himself of snowflakes.
So did the sparrows.
It snowed all day and all through the night…
This morning, we had almost a foot of snow. This is Mom’s magnolia tree. Somehow, magnolia and snow just don’t seem to go together well in the same sentence.
It was unbelievable. So much snow. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life before.
Sure we are under threat from Global Warming! I’d like to see those “experts” explain why we are having record low temperatures in Texas this winter.
This is the last family owned farm in Fairview, and it probably won’t stay that way for long. I’m glad I got to see it like this before the developers get ahold of it.
This is the best snow picture I took all day today.
Talk about a winter wonderland! Ever driven through a tunnel of snow?
Looking into what Kathy and I christened “The Hundred Acre Wood” as children 20 years ago.
I was surprised to see water still flowing.
Later on in the morning, we walked over to the golf course to go sledding. Here’s Abigail by the fence.
Emily breaking a path through the snow.
Here’s the golf course! It looks like its been covered with vanilla ice cream.
Abigail is pulling my father’s old sled from when he was a boy. It still works, even though it must be nearly 40 years old.
First on the agenda was to pack down a path for the sled.
Kimmy’s up first!
Whee!
Matthew got impatient waiting for his turn, so he decided to just summersult down to the bottom of the hill.
Probably not the best idea.
We took pity on him and gave him the sled.
He didn’t fare much better.
Abigail in the act of throwing snow at me.
Emily is ready for takeoff!
No, Matthew is not jumping out of the way. He hopped on behind Emily, and then failed to stay on the sled.
Kimmy after a particularly fast go.
Mom and Dad joined the fun briefly before heading into the comfort of the indoors. We younguns lasted a lot longer, of course! 
I wish it would snow more often in Texas.
Over valley, over hill,
Hark, the shepherd piping shrill!
Driving all the white flocks forth
From the far folds of the North.
Blow, Wind, blow ;
Weird melodies you play,
Following your flocks that go
Across the world to-day.
How they hurry, how they crowd
When they hear the music loud I
Grove and lane and meadow full
Sparkle with their shining wool.
Blow, Wind, blow
Until the forests ring:
Teach the eaves the tunes you know,
And make the chimney sing!
Hither, thither, up and down
Every highway of the town,
Huddling close, the white flocks all
Gather at the shepherd s call.
Blow, Wind, blow
Upon your pipes of joy;
All your sheep the flakes of snow
And you their shepherd boy!
I can still hardly believe that we had two snowfalls in a single week in December!
According to Kimmy, we’re due for more. She’s talked to God about it.
(Poem by Frank Dempster Sherman)
Well, I lived in Texas for nearly a quarter of a century, and I’ve never woken up to a Christmas morning like this.
It had snowed during the night. We almost never get snow until late January/early February, so I was really surprised. And pleased. A winter wonderland is a wonderful thing to wake up to on Christmas!
It was a lovely day today. Crystal clear blue skies and soft, cotton clouds wafting on a warm, wet southern breeze.
All I had to do was close my eyes, smell the rich, grassy scents on the breeze and imagine that spring was just around the corner. Hard to believe that Christmas is just barely two days away.
Of course, I know it won’t stay that way. We’re due for a nasty cold front in the next day. But for now, I’m enjoying this warm reprieve from the cold.
Every last, cloudy bit of it.
I caught this jet racing through the clouds and was astounded to find that my camera can zoom close enough that I can read the letters on the tail.
This was also taken on zoom. Doves are very fearful birds and hard to photograph at close range (unlike mockingbirds, which are fearless).
Even with me standing 30 feet away, this one decided to take off.
As I wandered around the property, I was startled to find this gall hanging down from one of our red oaks.
It’s huge. I’ve never seen one this big, much less at this time of year.
Despite the bleakness of the season, I was able to find many interesting subjects for pictures. Really, the merits of one season or another depends on the mindset of the person involved. If you go through life determined to find beauty, you’ll most likely find it. If you go through the winters bemoaning the loss of the spring, winter will seem just that much bleaker. I was amazed at how interesting the leaves were once I got down close to them.
Even the tiniest of dried grasses became beautiful once I began looking for beauty in them.
All I need to do to satisfy my craving for green is bury my face in a bush of cedar twigs. Mmmmm! Cedars smell like green.
One flower that blooms year round in Texas is the dandelion. These seemingly insignificant flowers are the most tenacious of all. We’ve had weeks this month below freezing, and I found dozens of these little beauties poking their golden heads above the tree litter.
Dandelions are an important source of nectar for bees during the winter. On warm days, it’s not uncommon to find a few honey bees buzzing happily around a cluster of these.
After the dandelions are pollinated, they close while the seeds mature…
And then open into a ball of fluff.
The feathery ends of the seeds are quite interesting - almost like little flowers themselves and so soft and silky!
The seeds are anchored into the base of the flower, loosely of course because the wind is needed to pick them up and carry them away.
They are commonplace, but dandelions have a unique beauty.
Ordinary things can really be beautiful.
The birds were gorging themselves on whatever they could find. They’ll barely feed during the cold snap. Here is Mrs. Cardinal in our cedar elm.
And a little sparrow in Bonnee’s tree.
I spotted this little butterfly on a dandelion.
This is with the zoom on my camera…
…and this is on the super macro setting.
This little butterfly was unafraid to have my camera lens poised only a few centimeters from his probing antenna. I was really surprised.
He even allowed me to pick him up on my fingertip.
Can you spot the mockingbird in this photo?
Here he is!
He seemed a bit affronted by my close proximity. I don’t think he liked the camera.
For all that, he’s awfully cute!
I miss green.
Really I do. I love the russet colors of autumn, but about December, I really start missing green.
The only thing green in December is evergreen trees. And the only plentiful evergreens in Texas are Eldaricas and cedars.
We have a lot of Eldaricas in our neighborhood.
And cedars. BIG cedars.
These Eldaricas belong to our neighbors. They have graciously allowed the little ones to play on the cushion of sweet-smelling needles under the trees.
Eldaricas are excellent sources of pinecones.
One thing’s for sure: we have a lot of blue and white in winter, even without snow.
In Texas, “snow” never actually comes to the ground except in rare instances. It stays aloft, tantalizing observers.
This is strato-cumulus.
And this is a light fan of cirro-cumulus.
Long sweeps of cirrus look like they’ve been painted on a blue dome.
Blue is pretty. But I miss the green.
For some weird reason, they remind me of my cockatiel.
What kind of Christmas tree to get? That is a deep question. It can’t be too tall. It can’t be too wide. It can’t be too skinny. It can’t be unhealthy. It’s also very confusing when you walk into a store and see your options.
That’s why you bring along your little sister to help select the right one.
Hmm… this Noble fir looks pretty good, albeit a bit small.
But Abigail seems to think this one looks just right.
So this is the tree we selected.
Now for the preparations. First, you need to lay down some sort of barrier to protect a 17 year old carpet.
Even better, spray it a complimentary color before you bring it in the house.
The tree is sent home in a webbing.
It’s usually a good idea to snip off the webbing…
…so the tree will retain a natural shape.
Next come the lights… the least said about that process, the better.
After the lights have been twined onto the tree, it is then time to decide what ornamets to use.
We usually let the younger children place their ornaments first; then Kathy and I come along after and add the rest and declump areas.
The effect is usually very charming. Because each of us kids has our own set of ornaments, the tree can look rather eclectic. The balls my mother made years ago give the tree a sense of uniformity.
Some of our ornaments are store bought; others are home made.
This angel is made from Sculpy Clay.
This felt heart was made by my great-grandmother.
This is my mother’s Christmas angel.
After the tree was completely assembled, Dad got busy. It’s been years since we’ve had a Christmas train chugging around the tree.
Here is one of my dad’s engines.
“She’ll be coming ’round the mountains when she comes…”
Here is the Village Dad set up under the tree. I’m starting to wonder where we’re going to put the Christmas presents on Christmas morning.
Not a bad looking tree, I must say!
Click this link: late-winter-skies
