If Winter is Here, Spring Cannot Be Far Behind

Oh my, we are stuck in the dead of winter, it snowed yesterday about 5 inches and the Winter Blues seem to be desperately trying to seep in.  However, I have spent a little time today on my computer, came across some pictures and my heart is rejuvenated!  I ran across some amazing pictures taken last year and they reminded me of why I absolutely LOVE living in this area.  (This time of year I really need to be reminded of that as visions of palm trees and "life" during the winter months invade my mind).

I desperately miss the longer days when you can take a quick 20 minute drive into the mountains and just be surrounded by beauty.  Out of my 4 adult children, one is always ready to head to the mountains with Mom and spend the day just appreciating God's gift to us----nature! 

My husband and I are considered "new-comers" to the St. Maries area.  We have actually only lived on the river for 9 years.  We were city folk from the Spokane area for 27 years and then decided that the hustle bustle of the city was getting us down and we retreated to the river.  I will be honest, it has been quite a change, somewhat of a culture shock but it has been worth it.  Where else can you be enjoying a morning cup of coffee and watch a moose cross the river just feet away from you?  Where else can you gaze at over 40 deer who have not a care in the world, yet hunting season is at its peak?  This truly is God's gift to us and we must take care of our gift. 

Getting back to the whole reason I felt compelled to even start writing in my blog,-- which I am grossly overdue-- are some pictures I came across just a few minutes ago that brought back some wonderful "younger year" memories.

 While my son and I were tromping around the area known locally as Cherry Creek, we took some pictures of what use to be my Dad's farm land.  In the 70's and 80's my Mom and Dad were living along the St. Joe River farming a very fertile area that was edged on one side by 3 miles of dike along the river.  It was flat, beautiful and a wonderful place to escape the city life on weekends, which is exactly what I did.  My Dad was a very successful farmer who chose to raise grass seed, Timothy and Blue Grass that he then sold to the Asian market for golf courses.  After almost 20 years of living off the land along the river and loving every minute of it, his health would not allow him to continue what he loved.  God is good and knows what people can handle, and what would be just too much for them.  My father lest this temorary home and went to his true home one December day, just months before a chinook, early thaw hit the St. Joe area.  With so much water rushing down, it was too much for the river to contain and unfortunately there was a break in the dike.  What we looked at as horrible, actually turned into a beautiful lake that many people now enjoy viewing.  My Dad would be so proud of the "water view" property that his livelihood has become and on that day trekking up in the mountains with my son, I was able to capture on film the river running along the dike and old farm.   It brought back some very good memories and I am so pleased that so many people can enjoy the beauty of this water and have "water-view" properties.  Just a little history.........

When Everything Turns White

Have you ever noticed that when snow covers the ground it actually acts like a sound barrier also?  I absolutely love taking walks when the snow has turned everything white, because there is a still, calm that is so relaxing, refreshing and yet energizing at the same time.  The snow seems to create an insulation against noises and while walking in the still of the snow it allows you to "hear" other sounds you would normally not be able to hear.  Or maybe it is that while the white snow acts to clean the canvas of the normal landscape, it allows our thoughts to enter into places  that are normally running rampant and never stop long enough to really listen or appreciate what is all around us. 

I have taken on a new appreciation of just how beautiful our mountains, trees, and the river become when they are clothed in snow.  This past week we went from no snow to having 16 inches within 3 days and what a magical winter wonderland it became.  Of course I can sit back and appreciate all this beauty when warm and snug in my home with the fireplace ablaze and the car does not need to edge out of the garage the entire time.  I can appreciate why children get so excited about snow days, they don't need to worry about cars sliding along the highway.  Sometimes I think we need to have a more child-like perspective on life and just appreciate all the beauty that seems to come our way.