Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Colors of Winter


I used to think that winter was long because there was so little color in it. I realize now that it might have been because I was living in a city, where winter can be wearying because it seems to be characterized by slumping snow, dirty black or brown from sand, gravel, traffic. Little brown clumps of dog poop on sidewalks. Pavement where the snow has been cleared--all seems to be gray and brown on dirty white.
It's different living in the north. The sunrises and sunsets are often spectacular....here's one from an early morning this weekend, looking out over the big lake.
But when you start to pay attention, there is color everywhere--it's just subtle. These rocks are part of a cliff from a hike up Kimball Creek--about a mile away from us. I love how they echo the colors of the sky over Superior.




And then when I collect twigs for my crafting of frames and baskets, the colors are lovely--red osier dogwood, willow of various colors, birch.

Why didn't I see the colors of winter before?
It helps to be able to see so much sky, and to be able to hike through river canyons, to have twig shrubs growing everywhere.
I guess I must have been blind to these colors before--I find myself wondering whether I perhaps was so busy looking at the piles of dirty snow that I couldn't see the colors around me.
No longer! I'm loving all the colors of winter, though they are often softer than the colors of
summer. And I'm bringing them in--for frames and here for a room divider we've been needing.
All the colors of the rainbow...blessings in the winter months.

1 comment:

  1. Winter's colors are often muted, but stand out deliciously when we look for, and see them.

    I really love the room divider - the texture and colors are amazing. I enlarged the picture and notice there are small lights entwined. A true blessing of color and light for the winter!

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