Snow Globe

 

With insanely high winds the past couple of days, it feels as though we have been living inside a snow globe. I hope you all are staying safe and warm and are enjoying the holiday season! These photos are of the Catholic church in Grand Portage, MN. 

Fresh Snow at Grand Portage State Park

 

We have a lot of snow already this winter!  Lately it seems like it's been snowing every day. I took these photos along the High Falls Trail in Grand Portage State Park. The waterfall is certainly beautiful in December, before it fully freezes!  Water was running over the top of the ice which made for a really cool scene. The fresh snow along the trail was beautiful as well. 

The Winter Solstice

 

As we make our way through the shortest day/longest night of the year, let us not forget the importance of darkness. It wasn't that long ago, really, that we humans survived and even thrived despite not having the capability of lighting the night the way we do today. Being able to see the stars connects us to that not-so-distant history. 

Sunlight is important for our health, but so is darkness. And the night brings a beauty to the sky that is unparalleled. So I say... embrace the night! Like everything in nature, darkness moves in cycles. Right now we have the longest period of darkness that we see each year. And, before we know it, we'll once again have the longest period of daylight that we see each year. Appreciate both for the wonderful things that they are. 

Beautiful ring around the moon!

 

There is a BEAUTIFUL ring around the moon tonight!  This photograph was made looking to the southeast from my driveway along the Lake Superior shoreline. 

Jeep camping under the Milky Way

 

My absolute favorite thing to do... spend time under a sky filled with stars and the glow of the Milky Way. This "self portrait" photograph was made in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona, at a dispersed campsite near the "White Pocket", a unique and endlessly fascinating area filled with surreal eroded sandstone formations. The night skies of the southwestern U.S. are a huge draw for me. The desert is a magical place that I never tire of. No matter how much time I spend there, I always yearn for more.