Sun Brust through the Gray

The sun desperately tried to break through the clouds; it did for a few moments and shined like a 'burst of fire' but not enough warmth to melt the icy earth before the clouds smothered it again.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

And since we have no place to go

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

Merry Christmas Bad Axe, MI-Main Street

There are still towns in this country that celebrate Christmas with Nativity Scenes on main street.  Bad Axe, Michigan-Main Street.

Her Golden Crown touched the Cold Earth's Floor

The Weeping Willow tree had shed its leaves but the slim branches had a golden-brown color that made them stand out in the landscape.

After the Storm

My favorite photos are of barns.  After the snow storm there was no movement except for gusty winds.    Very quiet and still.  Where did all the wildlife and birds go? 

Pointe Aux Bargues LIghthouse Park - Ice Covered Lake Huron

 

These are a few images of Lake Huron starting to freeze for the winter.  Lake Huron surrounds Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse on 3 sides.  Beautiful peaceful scene but very cold.

Saginaw Bay Ice Fishing & Geese

We traveled around Sand Point and saw a lot of wild life; particularly flocks of geese flying over the frozen bay.  A few brave souls were on the frozen water ice fishing.  This was my first time of seeing ice fishing. I really don't understand the sport.

Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse

We visited the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse on Lake Huron.  It was built in 1847 and has been converted to a state park.  The park was closed and it was a cold day so we were the only ones crazy enough to be walking around in the snow and cold weather.

A flurry of Gray and white Silhouettes

Roadside images of the country side after the snow storm.  Traveling to Flint, MI from Bad Axe.  A flurry of Gray and white Silhouettes against the cloudy skyline.

There was beauty and there was Chaos

On the Way to Bad Axe Christmas Party

Scenes before the snow storm hit Huron County.  It snowed during the day and I purchased my first pair of snow boots the day before the storm swept across Northern Michigan.

Trees of Winter Grace

 There was a light snow fall which outline the fields.   Winter time brings out the simple elegance and grace of trees.  Photos taken in Kinde, Michigan in the late afternoon.

Standing Tall - Cockrell Mountain

Plants Standing tall in the wind - highway 48w to Cockrell Mountain

Cotton Fields of Alabama

Photo taken outside of Wedowee, Alabama. 

Watching the purple sky fly over me

Purple Sky

Nature's Caravan of red, gold and silver

This was an park we visited in Colorado Springs.  The landscaping of the trees really made the park a beautiful place for both kids and adults.  The park benches were under glorious shade trees and the street was decorated in a caravan of red, gold and silver trees against the backdrop of the Pike Peak mountain range 

Helen Hunt Falls

We visited Helen Hunt Falls at Cheyenne Mountains.  This is a popular place and people enjoy climbing to the top of the falls and across the bridge to look down at the water hitting the rocks.  Helen Hunt, a famed author, moved to Colorado Springs in 1873. She wrote many poems and stories about the Pikes Peak Region. She started a letter writing campaign to promote the preservation of North Cheyenne Canyon as a public park.  She became outraged by the unfair treatment of American Indians. She was outspoken in defense of the Cheyenne and Arapho people after the Sand Creek Massacre (1864) and defended the Utes after the Meekere Massacre (1879). In order to increase the awareness of the injustices suffered by the American Indians, she wrote her 2 most important books: "A century of dishonor", and "Ramona".

Bridge to the Little Church in the Wildwood

How sweet on a clear Sabbath morning
To listen to the clear ringing bells
It's tones so sweetly are calling
Oh, come to the church in the vale
Come to the church by the wildwood...

Path of the Golden Hue

The walking trail  leads into the foothills of  the Garden of the Gods.  I understand they had their first snow fall of the winter season so these trees may now be bare or will be very soon.  I was happy to capture the delicious golden hue of nature.

Angels of Stone & Halos

It is difficult to pick out just one or two favorite photos when you have such a spectacular view.  I tried to do many different angles and zoomed in as much as my camera would allow.  The far off scene looks serene and peaceful like angels of stone with white halos.

Mountain of the Dragon

The people of the earth got tired of life here and decided they wanted to leave the land behind and go to heaven. The gods were angry that the people took for granted the great gift of life and the earth. So they sent a great flood that covered all the flatlands and began creeping up the mountains. A man and woman survived the flood, swimming for days as the waters rose. Finally, they found an enormous corn stalk and fashioned it into a canoe that saved them as the water covered the mountain peaks. The gods were pleased with this man and woman. They told them they would have dominion over the earth and a mighty people would spring from them. To save them, the gods sent a dragon of great thirst from heaven to Earth. He gulped down the waters of the flood as if his thirst might never be quenched. Slowly, the waters receded down the face of the mountains, revealed the flatlands, and were once again contained in the rivers. The dragon's body swelled and swelled, but still he drank. The gods worried the dragon might drain all the water from the earth, so they turned him to stone. He is Cheyenne Mountain. The dragon is still in our midst, and you can see his horns, his flat head, the spines along his back and his bloated body.