Monday, January 11, 2010

Winter: Terrible Beauty

Everyone is suffering from unusual cold this winter, it seems. Some aspects of winter are just so gorgeous though, even when they are potentially fatal. Here are some winter delights:

1. Salties (seagoing cargo ships) on a misting Lake Superior:



These ships are shaped to have maximum volume and stability while remaining narrow enough to navigate locks and narrow lake port entries. I took this picture from the freeway on a recent morning of 10 degrees below zero.

2. "Wild horses" are clouds of mist that curve up from the lake in extreme cold:


I wasn't able to get a very good photo of them this same day...

3. Winter sunsets can be so colorful:



This view is of the Presbyterian church across the street. This church aggravates me no end because its parishioners park in driving lanes of the road all Sunday morning. Sometimes they partially block my driveway, and Heaven Forbid I be prevented from driving out at a moment's notice! I wrote a complaining letter to their pastor and was ignored. Then I wrote to their Synod and apparently the Synod rang their chimes (don't let me even start about their carillon concerts: "Kumbaya" etc. slightly out of tune at noon and 6 p.m. every, blessed! day) because the ladies of the church gave me a passive-aggressive basket of baked goods with a note about 'good neighbors'. Grr, I lost that battle. Nicey-nice beats crabby-pants every time.


4. My horse grows a goat-beard in winter -- as OnceUponAnEquine and Molly of HolaMole! have noticed!! -- and it is quite spectacular:



5. And finally, here's a 27-second video of our jingle-bell ride today:



Stay warm everyone!!

15 comments:

photogchic said...

Miss those big ships on Lake Superior..and the fog. Really is a beautiful place. Johnny looks cute as a "yak:-)"

Cedar View Paint Horses said...

I've only been up to the big lake in the fall. Sure was impressive.

Regarding the church, just notify the local fire chief if they block your drive. Hate to play hardball....

What did John think of the jinglies?

Flying Lily said...

Photogchic: I love thinking about what it would be like to be working on a saltie; how the ship and the crew and the horizon would define your world for months at a time.

Cdear View: John finds his bells soothing I think. I use them to call him from the pasture and he comes straight to them and bows his head to get them over his neck. Of course there is a peppermint involved. And I enjoy the noise so it's a win-win! Good idea about the fire chief!!

Unknown said...

I love the sound of the crunching snow and the bells. Beautiful clouds too. I just love clouds.

I've thought of using bells on my horse, just to despook him to those kinds of sounds. Maybe he'd like them too. hmmm..

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Do you plow a trail for John with an ATV and plow or snowmobile and plow?

Flying Lily said...

Breathe: I think your horse would like the bells. When I first saw them I viewed them as decoration with a ward-off-deer potential. I am now seeing them as a rhythm and pleasure thing. And I believe horses like rhythm.

NM: They did this trail first with ATV and plow and then widened it with a tractor. This was an unusually heavy snow followed by a partial thaw which produced a thick ice crust on top. It required the heavy duty equipment.

Anonymous said...

Love the photos! My mare Maisie grows an impressive goat beard, too!

Jocelyn said...

Put out some big orange cones across the driveway! OR some of that CRIME SCENE TAPE :)

I love the bells ! I am getting Star some this year.

cdncowgirl said...

Not sure who the appropriate authorities are in your area but here when my driveway gets blocked (note the when not if lol) I call the parking authority with our address and the plate number.
They usually arrive within a half hour. (I used to call the police but now have the direct number to PA because of needing to call them at work for our parking lot)
Maybe it seems bitchy but I only call if its actually blocked and here, by law, I could call if they are parked a foot & a half or closer. (the PA will actually measure)

Love your bells, do you know where a gal could get some?

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Zoe said...

I love those bells, they sound so magical especially with the snow. I imagine you all dressed in white fur like the white witch.
Oh and John that is a pathetic attempt at a beard, sorry mate but it is.

Once Upon an Equine said...

I can feel the chill in those pictures. Very pretty. Lovely jingle bells and I sure like that riding track.

Horse Riding Equipment said...

Best of luck for 2010 for all horse lovers!

Molly said...

Brrrrr. Beautiful.
Church ladies? pfffff
I'll go take a picture of Bella's beard today. It's not nearly as nice as John's, but she's a girl who lives in the desert and doesn't need a Grizzly Adams look.

prashant said...

I've only been up to the big lake in the fall.
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