November Serenity Blog Circle - The Quiet of Winter

I won’t say that I don’t like Winter. I enjoy a fresh snowfall, how pretty it makes the trees and landscape, especially here in Alberta where the sun is usually bright and the sky is blue after the storm passes. My beef with Winter is how long it lasts in my part of the world! Those first few months of the white landscape (if we get snow, sometimes it’s just brown); the feeling of warmth as you cozy up inside by the fireplace and revel in indoor activities - puzzles, reading, baking, crocheting, movies; warm cozy sweaters and toques; the excitement of Christmas. By the end of January though, I’m ready to move on (oh who am I kidding, long before this, I’m ready). I tire of all the layers of clothing I need to wear, how long it takes to dress to go outside, short days and dealing with icy roads. I long to see the colours of the garden again and to sit on my deck soaking up the sun with my morning coffee.

Unfortunately, Winter is here and we can’t make it go away any faster than it wants. So I try my hardest to enjoy it and keep positive. There is definitely something serene about heading outside during or after a fresh snowfall. The snow quiets the world and provides a fresh clean blanket on the landscape. Because I live in a rural location, a fresh snow means I can see the tracks of the animals that may have been in my yard before me - deer, coyotes, birds, even mice.

This past weekend we had a fresh snowfall, then the clouds parted and the sun and blue sky came out. It was cold, but I bundled up and headed out with my camera to capture some of the fresh snow before it fell off the trees.

All images were taken with my Lensbaby Velvet56 lens.

I love what winter light can do to what’s left of the weeds and the branches.

It’s hard to complain when the morning light of a winter sunrise turns the frost on the bare trees and dead leaves into this!

The Serenity Project is a collaborative photography project featuring images that bring a sense of peace and calm. Please continue our circle to to see what has brought my friends serenity this month.

Next in the circle is Wendy May, Photographer, NE Scotland

Click the link to see what serenity looks like for her this month!

Thanks for being here.

May Serenity Blog Circle - Finding Serenity in a Large Urban Park

I am excited to be sharing my first blog post as part of the Serenity blog circle.  The circle is made up of a group of talented women photographers who share their beautiful art together every month.  

I recently took a long weekend visit to Vancouver, BC.  It's a beautiful, bustling city on the West Coast of BC.  A trip to Vancouver wouldn't be complete without time spent in Stanley Park, an urban oasis on the edge of downtown.  At 1,000 acres, it's bigger than Central Park in New York City! 

I visited the park on a Saturday morning - it was full of people walking, biking or inline skating along the seawall, hanging out in grassy areas,  playing cricket or rugby.  I decided to take one of the quieter trails into an old growth forest area away from all the people.  It was there that I found my serenity!! I thoroughly enjoyed taking my time to absorb nature and its sounds, smells and sights, shooting as I went.  I put my Lensbaby Velvet56 on my camera and played to my hearts content! 

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Please continue through our Serenity blog circle to see what my friends have shared this month.  Next in the circle is Eileen in San Antonio http://eileencritchley.com/2018/05/16/exploring-nature-the-serenity-project