The Magic of Tahquamenon Falls

This was our first glimpse of T. Falls in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as Jeff and I trudged down the snow covered pathway in the frigid cold to reach them. Jeff snapped this shot and I also snapped several shots of my own.

To me it looked like a place to dream and we would have spent a few moments musing if our cheeks hadn't stung and our fingers grown numb...and we hadn't seen the full view yet. LOL But we could hear the roaring tannin cascade from there and soldiered on. I envied the snowmobile helmets I was seeing about then and talked to Jeff about wearing them just to keep the cold from our faces. :D

Tahquamenon Falls during the winter will forever stay in our minds. These photos on my blog are of the Upper Falls. It was too cold to visit the Lower Falls but those falls have a campground that's open all year round. We passed by many snowmobilers and they probably had taken advantage of the winter camping and groomed trails.

Jeff and I tried winter camping years ago. It's adventurous and not bad if the windchill doesn't dig into your skin. But we haven't done it since. LOL

The Tahquamenon River was mentioned in Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha. Click on the link to read about it and to read stats about the falls.

Hugs, JJ

Mystical Winter Waterfall - come look!

Have you ever had a day you thought could not be real because of the beauty you've seen?

Jeff and I had a mystical day and I'm happy to share it with you. We had listened to the weather on TV and knew this was a good day to view the Tahquamenon Falls in winter. So we packed up warm gear and headed over the Mackinaw Bridge.

After driving for a spell, we found ourselves the only ones on the road, except for snowplows laying down sand and salt and raising orange sparks from their blades on the blacktop.

Then we passed through Paradise and the most traffic was snowmobilers on the trails beside the highway. They were in groups, having the time of their lives as snow sprayed around them. Sometimes the snowmobilers rode faster than us. LOL

We finally entered Tahquamenon Falls State Park after driving on glare ice with Jeff gripping the wheel for dear life. It was only in the 20's F with a wind chill when we left the car, so we walked to the falls with our scarfs draped around our faces to ward off frostbite.

Then we climbed down some stairs to the falls and saw the most surreal place ever!!! This is one photo. I have more to come. Jeff said it was like we had stepped into another dimension of mythical beasts and ice warriors. It was SPECTACULAR. But oh, how our fingers froze when we took turns snapping pics. I took this one but some of Jeff's are to come.

What a magical day. What a magical Earth!

Hugs, JJ

Snow Art Makes Winter an Adventure

When I was on a walk yesterday, I noticed the forest looked as if it had had a snowball fight while I was inside. Heavens knows what goes on while humans sleep. :D Anyway, this huge snowball lightly entwined on barren branches made me stop and stare with my mouth open. The ball almost hovered. :D Made me think of alien slugs, mystical beings and paranormal happenings.

Snow art! I love this time of year when the snowfall takes on a surreal atmosphere. Sometimes I think God has a great sense of humor and loves to play with us. I was half expecting a snowball to come sailing out of the woods.

Loooove this time of year when every day outside is a discovery. Each day is an adventure for the mind and the soul. I hope I am doing all I can to take the path I am supposed to walk on my journey through life.

AngelBaby from Your Caring Angels has presented me with this INTERESTING BLOG AWARD. Thank you, Angel! Her blog inspires me. :D There can't be enough angels in this world.

I pass this award on to StellaScript, because of her great haiku and writing tips, and to Chicago Nature Lady for her watercolors and nature posts. And also I'm awarding Merging Point, because I love the pearls of wisdom I have learned, and to Maverick, because his blog connects me to another culture that I have come to love hearing about.

Hugs, JJ

Into the Heart of Winter Photo

We're into the heart of winter and the evergreens groan with their heavy white coats and beg for the sun to melt their branches free.

But the tiny birds like the chickadees and red polls still flit from branch to branch as if nothing is amiss. Nature is full of surprises. How do the tiniest of winter birds manage the Arctic blasts that drive snow deep into the evergreen branches? It's a marvel! I know the wintering birds puff their feathers, but still!

This scene captured my eye when I saw the balsam fir tree huddling with the birch. :D

On another note, Jeff and I walked along the shoreline of Lake Huron today wanting to capture the brilliant blue ice that has formed offshore in our camera, but it was too dangerous to walk out to it. The temp was 9 degrees Fahrenheit when we left the house. Brrr. Let spring come!

This is a great time to finish up my writing projects. :D It's great coming to the end of a couple of them. I have many ideas I want to develop.

Lena of Smile! Tomorrow Could be a lot Worse! has given me some beautiful awards! YOUR COMMENTS CREATE MAGIC is one of them. Thank you, sweetie. :D

I pass this award on to Anna of My Only Photo, Bob of Black Holes and Astrostuff, and Peter of St. Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst - Male Nurses.

You guys create magic of your own on your blogs also. Lena included. So many of my blogger friends have touched my heart. If I listed them all, it would take a whole page. :D Thank you!!!

Hugs, JJ

Snowshoeing the Easy Way! LOL

Notice Jeff's expert descent of a ridge in the pattern his snowshoes left in the snow to my right. Then notice what Jeff caught when he turned around to see how I was doing. LOL

I was using my behind as a sled and ploughing through the snow as I slid down the wintry slope, my snowshoes buried to the hilt.

Where he goes I go, but in my own way. :D I made it down safely and that's why you see some of the pics in earlier posts.

I do love winter for the magical surroundings and Jeff and I do have fun playing when I get outside. But I was healing from sunspot removal when this shot was taken. Always remember to wear sunscreen, even in the winter. Those blasted sunspots can cause heaps of trouble. One of mine was deep on my nose and it has to fill in a lot of skin yet in the healing process.

Stella has added a beautiful haiku to my post! Thank you, dear. :D

how I long to sled

alas, I've no snowy slope

also, I'm not eight...

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Carrie , from a Rantings of a Woman, has presented me with the YOU CHEER ME UP AWARD!

Thank you, Carrie. :D My nickname was Lucy in college and perhaps the photo above explains how I got it. :D I pass this award on to Maverick, whose blog, FIGHTERS ALWAYS FIGHT, has a delicious delightfulness because of the humor, to Anna of MY ONLY PHOTO, who has captured my heart through her own capturing of creature personalities in photos and posts, and to Merging Point - ON THE ROAD TO REALIZATION, who has made discovering my Inner Self fun. :D

Hugs, JJ

The Beauty of an Icy Shoreline

Jeff waited to capture this shot at just the right moment and he succeeded! The beauty of an icy shoreline can entrance you to stand in the cold, not noticing your fingers have grown numb because you've slipped your gloves off to take the perfect shot.

Lake Huron intrigues Jeff and I during all of the seasons. Notice the rolling of the wave into the icy balls that look like the rocks below the surface and notice the snow crusted shoreline.

"Don't step too close!" Jeff warned me. He didn't want me to walk away with wet socks in my soaked boots. But I adored this moment in time and love that all of life has a rhythm. This one was soothing and I loved that Jeff and I shared this view together.

We have a special marriage because we both love our nature excursions and see the same beauty at the same time. Our lives are in sync. We stand at the same time, take a drink at the same time, breathe at the same time. We are truly blessed to have found each other in this crazy world.

Moments like this photo bring life back to perspective. When you don't want to listen to one more bad happening in the news, standing along a winter lake shore is much better.

Hugs, JJ

Linger by a Snowy Creek

After a heavy snowfall, the sun peeks out and glistens off the pristine snow, untouched by man. Perfect. The pureness makes one sigh. The creek flows on past it, loving its new design. All of the leaning branches are coated with white, their branches turned into finery, every lacy twig counting to make the scene burst alive.

I hate to make one more footstep. To disturb this view in any way. It's too lovely to mar. I listen to the creek water babble past in the winter silence. I hear a chickadee say hello because she followed me and flits about the evergreens, chattering away, saying winter will pass and spring will come.

I am at the part of winter where I long for spring. The temps will reach below zero in the next few days and more snow will fall. But now the sun is out, making diamonds in the snow. Time to enjoy a lovely afternoon.

On a personal note, I'm writing a children's story with Robbay, the cartoonist, now turned Illustrator too, and having the time of my life! Robbay and I act like we're lost twins. :D

Hugs, JJ

Shattered Ice on River and a Winter Song!

During the winter, Jeff and I search for special

moments when a memory of what we see will last in our minds and we'll talk about it years later.

Watching the Cheboygan River flowing to Lake Huron as a mass of shattered mirror-like ice on its surface was one of those moments. Ice crackled and looked like broken mirror pieces as it clicked together, making a beautiful winter song. It was one fluid motion of movement and beauty heading toward the river mouth and Lake Huron. A sight and sound not caught often by us.

There are many sights in winter that make the nature observer aware that we are blessed to live on this good Earth. I hope to see many more winter wonders in the days ahead.

Even though I'm a fire sign, I'm attracted to cool, flowing water and feel my heart beat slow down as the water soothes my soul on its way to its destination. We all flow toward a bigger Source because we are not meant to be alone. Our Oneness comes from integrating with each other, flowing smoothly to a place where we can be a Whole. Even though we sometimes feel our shatters, we have to keep moving, keep living.

Click to enlarge the image for the full effect of the mirrored ice. :D

Hugs, JJ

Winter, May I be as Lovely as You!!!

We had a bobcat here a couple of days ago, just a few feet from our backdoor. Jeff chased it off. But yesterday we snowshoed to see if we could still see tracks and there were none. :D I don't like letting our pets out when the bobcat's around. Instead of tracks, we found off the beaten path picturesque scenes in the woods like this balsam snowscape.

Jeff says this looks like frozen soldiers who might move when you turn away from them, but I see a bride walking down the aisle...the middle tree has a face. And everyone is watching her with admiration because they love her.

What do you see in this snowscape of snow covered balsam firs? I love how nature reminds you of life and often wonder how much closer we are to it than we realize. :D

Happy Sunday, beautiful blog readers!

Stella, a gifted writer, has written a beautiful haiku because of this post. Thank you!!! We were only checking for tracks to make sure the pets could go outside. When you live in the woods, this is part of life.

A haiku:

two go by snowshoe

after a bobcat unseen

between balsam firs

Hugs, JJ

Lovely Plum Tree Winter Photo

A winter snowstorm howled in last night and this morning area schools are closed. But we were in need of the snowscape again so I can take some more photos. :D

This delicate-looking plum tree shot taken after the last storm gives the snowscape a graceful view, and I could gaze at it for hours. She's so thinly branched but so strong and bears her snow burden with an ethereal air. She patiently waits for spring when she can burst her buds and drink in the sunshine once more.

I am also waiting for my spring to come. :D

You should hear the waves crashing on Lake Huron right now. I wonder when this snowstorm will end.

Himalman has asked me to post a link to his blog because he has posted about The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Wielka Orkiestra. He also has blogs that will treat you to mountain climbers' views of Mt. Everest and other mountain climbing news. Just click on his name. :D

Have a day full of blessings and joy!

Hugs, JJ

The Attack of the "Ninja" Chickadee LOL

Jeff laughed when he saw the photo I shot of this woodpecker perched at the suet and what looks like a "Ninja" attacking chickadee zooming in from behind. Who knew chickadees flew through the air like this? WAAHAA. I suppose he has to land and he probably was headed for a branch and not the woodpecker, but the humor is there. :D

The feeder has been active this year with hundreds of birds from chickadees to red polls, cardinals, blue jays, pine grosbeaks, nuthatches, doves, gold finches, even seventeen large wild turkeys have visited. The turkeys strut around in single file like they are following the Pied Piper. It's been an amazing bird watching winter from my window. I have more photos to post as the winter moves on.

Lena, of Smile! Tomorrow Could be A Lot Worse! has given me the BLOGGERS of the WORLD award. Thank you! I have found Lena's blog to have such a deep understanding of human nature that it boggles my mind. She's a gift to the blogging world. :D

I pass this award on to: Jack Sparrow's sensational Snapshots While Traveling -Photography Blog, and to Tatiana of Totally Useless, a personal philosophy blog I love. Your blogs ROCK!!! Jack Sparrow visits places that are only in my dreams and Tatiana is a beautiful soul, inside and out.

Hugs, JJ

Snow Tapestry

Young deciduous trees bow into a tapestry display over our driveway when a heavy snowstorm hits. Jeff has to shake every branch off so he can drive out of here. LOL We want the summer shade and beauty of a leave umbrellaed driveway, so dealing with these dipping trees results.

It's beautiful to see!

Overnight and after a storm, the trees lining the driveway become magical and wear a blue haze, and I think I've walked into a fairy tale. I do think the earth holds enchantment and that's why myths stay so popular. I adore reading myths and love it when authors spin new tales around them!

Carrie, the sweetest blogger ever, has tagged me with this adorable "Crazy to be my Friend" tag that makes me smile each time I look at this image. When I blog I feel as happy as that. :D

I pass it on to Lee Morrison and Lainey Bancroft, both writers and authors whom I adore. :D But more than that, they are dear friends I met when I first came online.

Hugs, JJ

Enchanting Winter Photo

I love the magic of winter. The way the snow dusts the trees, the way the sky holds fascinating shades of blue when the sun begins to peek through, the way the forest stands quiet.

If only the world could have a time out, where the noise and havoc created subsides, so we have a chance to think. If we have a chance to think, perhaps we wouldn't be so hell bent on destruction.

I pray for peace on this Sunday because I want everyone to experience the wonder and grace of God's good earth. He gave it to us to enjoy, not destroy. Pray with me today for a minute of peace everywhere. That would make a huge difference. We have to start small and think big. :D

Hugs, JJ

After the Storm Winter Photo

In this photo, the wintry snowstorm had blasted itself out and the landscape wore a white coat that muffled the sounds in the air.

All was quiet, and I looked beyond the surreal snow-draped trees to the sky. Oh no, it was turning battleship gray. It wouldn't; it couldn't. Yes, lake effect snow was forming and soon snow was falling again. But this time it would be lighter, more playful.

You can see the heavy build up of snow on the power lines. We lost power for hours and hours. Typical. We're prepared. We move from power to no power in this house as if it were natural. Candles, water, flashlights, heat and cooking on the woodstove. And, oh, a battery operated radio that plays TV stations. As long as they aren't out from the storm too, we're all set. :D

Hugs, JJ

Snowy, Snowy Beech Branches

These beech leaves show the burden of winter but also the beauty of a white, pure snowy scene. The younger beech trees hang onto their leaves all winter and bear the harsh elements until spring, when they drift down from the tree a mere transparent skeleton of the leaf, but golden yellow, fragile and beautiful. I often pick one up in the spring to enjoy nature's artwork. The fallen beech leaves also will signal the warmer weather will be here to stay. I know, I shouldn't think such thoughts yet. :D

Of course a hanging branch like this should come with a warning. Watch the back of your neck! Snow slipping down your jacket collar is not a good feeling. Brrr. It's as bad as when it finds your bare ankles because your socks slipped down.

We're toasty warm in front of the wood fire at the moment. I'll work on my manuscript.

Hugs, JJ