Santa brought me snowshoes this year! A friend and I headed out last week to some local trails not too far from the city that I didn’t even know existed! It was a much needed nature break. I didn’t take very many pictures, I didn’t want to bother my friend, a non-photographer, with my constant stopping. She is very understanding, however, as her husband is also a photographer.

When we arrived and started getting our gear ready, the snow started to fall in big, fat, soft flakes. The best kind of snow!

After a while the snow slowed and mostly stopped. The trails were quite compacted, so snowshoeing was loud when we were in motion. We’d stop every now and then to rest, soak up the view and enjoy the silence out in the woods. We never saw another person out on the trails, though there were numerous vehicles in the parking lot. Some were cross country skiing, some were “fat biking” (bikes with very large tires that can be ridden on snow), some just walked their dog out there. There are different trails for different activities with tracks laid for cross country skiing on those trails.

I was astounded that I didn’t know about this trail system and I look forward to going back in other seasons to explore a bit. I could see that under the snow in some places were open meadows and wetlands. A day out in the trees and fresh air is just what I needed! Spending it with a friend was the icing on the cake. I look forward to exploring this new found area some more.

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 Ohio photographer, Eileen Critchley .

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

Thanks for being here.

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.