Winter's Blues

As we head into this winter season, nature's color palette shifts to beautiful blues.  Winter seems to slip into these colors as easily as we put on our most colorful denim jeans and leave us with the same comforting feelings as well.  Frosty turquoise and brilliant periwinkle shimmer in the glint of ice and snow; on land and in the sky. So in ode to these tranquil blues; here are a few photos to warm up any azure chills...

The shores of Lake Erie, northeast Ohio in January

I carefully made my way to the beach through a rutted snow covered path to take these few photos.  It was getting on in the afternoon, so the light wasn't very good but I couldn't resist taking a few pictures anyway.  The glinty ice covered boulders (used as a surf break) and the bracing north wind reminded me in seconds that it was a full on winter blast here on the northern shore. 

The wind was especially strong on this day and though it's hard to tell in the photos, the waves were big for our "little" great lake.  Bigger than I've seen them for sure, at least since Hurricane Sandy came through, and those waves were scarily amazing.  
Because of the way the lake and where we live are situated, we are able to receive lots of "lake effect snow" here.  It has to do with temperatures, warm for the lake and cold in the air, wind patterns coming across the lake and the lake NOT being frozen.  So, open water means lake effect snow can come at a moment's notice.  Because we live so close to the shore, we normally don't get dumped on as much as those a little south of us do...but it's still shoveling just the same!

So, snow season is upon us and I have to say, once the roads are clear, I don't really mind.  It's so much prettier to look at then the mossy dark green of the hibernating grass and brown muddy paths throughout the landscape.  Give me the brilliant blues of winter...perfect for resting and dreaming of springtimes to come...

What do you enjoy about winter?  

Be blessed! 

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