Winter has this amazing ability to distill everything down to it's barest essence.
What we miss in the busy din of summer we can't help but see in the winter. It's right there, rattling in the wind under that stark gray sky.
Or… can we miss it?
When I was younger I thought the winter landscape was bleak and a frankly a little depressing. I found beauty in the spring and fall when the world was in transition. (Those seasons still hold the key to my heart.)
I thought winter was devoid of color and life and had a cord of sadness winding through.
But now the winter landscape captivates me.
Color and life are everywhere. But the muted tones require you to slow down, breathe, and truly see. What a lesson that is for every moment.
And the sadness? I guess what we see is a reflection of who we are inside. Because now I see a vibrancy and life that I never saw before. Then I wanted everything to be happiness and rainbows. Now I see beauty in it all.
This weekend will you join me? Will you bundle up and step out into the world and find beauty where you found only bleakness?
Find magic. Because this is what we have.
Right now. It's everything.
Love,
Rachel
Oh yes. It is totally there – and I can say with the utmost confidence that winter follows a close second to fall as my favorite time of year.
Count us in!
Rachel, this is so true! I read a quote a while back and I don’t remember where but it went something like this: What we see is exactly what we look for.
Truly lovely. I drove through your neck of the woods yesterday on my way to and from the Waldorf school. It’s quite beautiful.
It’s true I used to think winter was long and bleak. Now that I’m a grown up there is beauty to it although at times by the end it feels a little long. Somehow the snow is like a blanket that quiets everyone down and then there is that charge of energy after the storm which involves either shoveling or sledding. That’s what our weekend will be looking like.
I think I would find more beauty with more real winter. We live on the plains of West Texas and the days climb into the 70s now. It is delightful to be able to go out in the winter without layers and layers, however, all is brown. It also means that in a few short months it will be too HOT to be outside. I try to remember to find the beauty in every day, but I think I live in the wrong landscape. I lap up your photos and drink in their beauty by proxy.
So true! Although I prefer the other 3 seasons because I don’t like to be cold, winter has a beauty that none of the other seasons have. We will be out and about enjoying whatever weather each day brings.
these pieces of soul you share with us are really the reason I come so often to “visit” you 🙂 Yeah, slow dawn and seek the magic of our own world is a very good advice. Wishing you a lovely weekend 🙂
Lovely!
We think so, too. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you, Alexandra.
I’ve been painting winter nature all around me, including the little pine cones in your last photo. Do you know what tree it is, by the way? I have no idea in the winter.
Oh, how lovely! Those are hemlock cones. My favorite conifer.
Exactly!
Change of how we see things = growing up.
Oh your winter does look delicious…so so dreamy xxx
Winter is by far and away my favorite season. There is so much beauty that exists in winter that doesn’t at any other time of the year–icicles, frozen waterfalls, frost, SNOW. So many things that can only be done in winter, too–sledding, skiing, skating, walking out on frozen lakes. So happy to know someone else sees its beauty, too!