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One winter morning~


I woke early this morning, way too early for Saturday, the day I plan to catch up on my weekly sleep deficit.

Monday through Friday I get up at 5:45. This time of year, the sun -- if it appears that day-- barely makes it to 20 degrees above the horizon by the time I get to work.

The early winter sky is always beautiful, my small consolation prize for being conscious--barely-- before my biorhythms want me to be.

But today, I figured I'd roll out after nine, at least, if I was lucky. I wasn't, as far as my sleep plans went.

I'd gone to the bathroom, and plopped back into bed. But the view I'd seen out the window nagged: perfect light, snow still on the branches, grasses bowed and beautiful under crystal blankets.
Humbled~
Go to sleep. It's only snow, I told myself.

But it's beautiful, and you can take a nap later. Get up! That was me, too.

When I argue with myself, I listen to the emotional side, not the logical. So I got up, grabbed the camera, and slipped out into the frosty beauty.

In reality I was blessed; that's better than lucky.Christmas sparrow~

I walked beside bunny and deer tracks. Grasses leaned into the trail like spectators anxious for a parade to begin. But there was only me, snapping pictures of what the sun put its finger on.

Unlike the students in my class, the grasses, vines, and trees were undemanding. No clamoring and clowning for me to take their pictures. They just stood proud, quiet and beautiful.

Worth waking early for.
Nature's gems~
~~~~~
In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. ~William Blake

Comments

Janice Thomson said…
What gorgeous shots Ruth. How serene and soothing it must have been to catch all this beauty so early in the morning. It's moments like that you never forget. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Hi Ruth-- Such a worthwhile reason to get up and get out. Sure looks cold up in your neck of the woods. Brrrr...

Gorgeous shots, Ma'am.

It is raining here. Sheets and sheets of warm rain, pouring off the roof, backing up in ditches and pooling in the yard.

I love the rain. There is something private and renewing about the rain. Your photos gave me the same sense. Nature making us humans stop and look at it at work.

Beautiful!
Pauline said…
stunning pictures - they helped me out of my own warm bed and out into the cold. Thanks for the boot ;)
Ruth L.~ said…
Sarah~ I love weather, period. Rainy days are among my favorites.

Pauline~Misery loves company. I'm glad you got up! It was worth it for you, too, I'll bet. :>)
Alice Folkart said…
Like spectators leaving forward in anticipation of an approaching parade - something like that - what a wonderful simile! And - that you listen to the emotional side - as we all should (except perhaps when someone is driving us nuts and we want to bean 'em). Weather, weather, weather - I love it too, and especially rain. Of course, we have a narrower spectrum of weather opportunities here. Guess, I'll just have to 'visit' weather - good enough reason to travel.

All my working days I got up at 4:45 so that I could have a 45 min walk in the dark before the rest of the world woke up. People said, 'But, isn't it dangerous?' (This was, after all, Los Angeles) 'No,'I said. 'The bad guys are all passed out by then. It's 11:00 PM you have to watch out for.' And,in all those years I saw only one bad guy and he ran away when I started yelling. But, I saw probably thousands of beautiful things - stars, moon, mama skunk and baby skunks, a raccoon (yes, in L.A.), night-blooming flowers going to bed, day blooming flowers opening, spider webs with dew diamonds, perfect snails that I moved off the sidewalk to safety - it was all worth it. And, thanks for reminding me.
daisies said…
these are beautiful and so glad your nap self didn't win that argument because the light is stunning, your eye captured such beauty :)
Barbara said…
I'm glad you didn't go back to bed. And thanks for sharing your pictures.

I used to get up at 5:30 every day. Since I retired in May, I can now sleep in until 8:30 with no problem!
Ruth L.~ said…
Barbara~ I'm with you in spirit. In June I'll be with you in actual flesh. Well, not exactly . . . but you know what I mean. :>)
Claire said…
It was so good that you didn't go back to bed these are great photos that would have been missed if you had curled up under the duvet. Thanks for sharing them.
Unknown said…
Gorgeous pictures, Ruth. I was planning on getting up really early Saturday, but after hearing the rain during the night, I figured the snow would be all gone, so I slept until I normally would. I was so psyched to see the snow, so I went out as fast as I could. Wasn't it such a blessing?

The birds were hiding from me, but I still got a couple of good shots. I can't wait for more snow!
raine said…
I love this series of pictures. So pretty. The light is amazing. I'm always awake early, but seldom go outside. You are inspiring me!
Wanda said…
Every picture in this series is breathtaking. So lovely! :)
those were certainly worth getting up to take, stunning photos!
Gillian Mowbray said…
Wonderful snowy images!

Hi Ruth - you have me confused as I've never read your blog before. Thank you for visiting mine.

I share your views about needing to step back from the Xmas over-undulgence.

In the New Year, I'll do a post about stock photography in general, so I hope that may help you.

Gillian. xxx

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