Tag Archives: winter

The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made. Each new day tells more of the story, and each night reveals more and more about God’s power. You cannot hear them say anything. They don’t make any sound we can hear. But their message goes throughout the world.

Psalm 19:1-4 NCV

Recently, I explored the village of Darlingford, Manitoba, under clear skies following a recent snowfall. My previous visit to the area also had sunny skies but this time the temperatures were much cooler, approximately a 35°C drop.

Darlingford occupies the Darlingford Moraine, a glacial ridge most likely formed when Noah’s flood waters receded about 4,374 years ago.

The Darlingford School Heritage Museum, constructed in 1910 as a school, was designed with provisions for a southern expansion that never materialized. It operated until 1984, received provincial heritage designation in 1987, and reopened as a community museum. The facility adopted its current name, Darlingford Pembina Heritage Museum, in 2023.

These commemorative trees are part of Darlingford Memorial Park. You can see the prominent Darlingford communications tower visible in the distance—a landmark observable for miles across the Pembina Valley.

A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

Proverbs 16:9 AMP

Back in the 1990s as a kid, ringing in the new year meant changing the date written in the top right corner of school assignments. Now deep into the 21st century, the world has changed in countless ways, but one anchor holds firm. God’s Word endures as that unchanging truth, no matter the future or man’s plans for it.

Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].

Proverbs 16:3 AMP

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 AMP

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

Our early spring drive through the Badlands was memorable and beautiful. Just after we arrived, the scenery quickly changed as a heavy snowfall quickly blanketed the rugged terrain in a layer of white.

I tend to be a “home body”, so my job has forced me to put on my boots and go see the view from the top of the valley when it’s too cold to want to venture out. That has also meant that I have seen new beautiful views, for which I’m often reaching for my camera. I hope to share a variety of pictures with you from behind the wheel, today and in the future.

Happy New Year! I can hardly believe we’re changing our calendars for the start of 2025. The years roll by faster each time and I choose to remember that the remaining years ahead are not up to me, but are in His capable, trustworthy hands.

And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Daniel 2:21 NKJV

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV

You have set all the borders of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.

Psalm 74:17 NKJV

‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.

Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 NKJV

Got the winter blues or just having a hard time getting around today? Maybe you just need to smile. I understand smiling is good for our health, helping to reduce blood pressure, pain, and increase your endurance. So what have you got to smile about today?

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 NKJV

The last time I visited the Grand Canyon was June 2000. The temperatures were then reaching into the high 80s at the top and scorching well over 100°F at the bottom. This time around it was very different, as the top was covered in a layer of snow and only got into the 60s.

The view was just as spectacular as I remember it being over 20 years ago. To think that God likely formed all of it in just a few hours as the waters receded following the great world-wide flood of Noah’s day is amazing.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?

Job 38:4-5 NLT

I recently learned that there are four different kinds of frost, each with it’s own way it forms. They go by names such as radiation or hoarfrost, advection frost, window frost, and rime frost. I guess I had never considered that there was more than one kind. No matter what you want to call it, it’s absolutely beautiful against the bright blue sky.

Holiday Mountain Ski Resort is opening again and everyone in our little town of La Riviere is excited to see some life returning to our valley. The official opening day is Boxing Day but today we got a sneak peek of the whole operation.

From the breath of God ice is made, and the expanse of the waters is frozen.

Job 37:10 NASB

Even though we traveled south for spring break, we still had to bring our coats and hats. Our journey home took us north through Michigan, across the Mackinac Bridge, and west along the bottom edge of the Upper Peninsula where these pictures were taken.

This bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan together along I-75 and boast of being the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. Unfortunately, we found it to be closed due to falling ice that added a 4 hour delay to our trip.

It was a scenic drive allowing us to enjoy the view of Lake Michigan, Huron, and Superior.

Snow does funny things sometimes. Here you see where a clump of snow fell and rolled itself into a perfectly formed roll. There were several of these next to each other on a nearby hill.

I don’t know about you but I get grumpy when I’m cold. Yet, I find that it is when I bundle up and venture out in to “the arctic”, I often am surprised to be greeted by the loveliness of God’s creation. When face to face with undeniable beauty, I can’t help but have a more positive attitude, even if the temperatures are beyond negative.

He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.
He casts forth His ice as fragments;
Who can stand before His cold?
He sends forth His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.

Psalm 147:16-18

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

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What does it look like to be filled with all joy and peace? Or to overflow with hope?

Well, that’s what I wish for you this new year. I think you’ll agree with me when I say, we could all use a little more joy, peace, and hope in our lives!

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9-HCSB

Life never turns out quite the way we thought it would. It’s comforting to know that He is the one who, as other translations put it, “decides where we will go“, “guides each step“, or “directs his steps and makes them sure“. If God is the one directing each step I take, then I can more fully enjoy today, knowing that I’m right where He wants me.

Despite the harsh temperatures and cutting wind, the sun still draws me out of my house to capture a few beautiful winter shots.

Now that it’s officially spring, I have gone back and looked at the pictures I took the last few months. I was surprised to see such intensity of the colours in many photos, something that my winter shots usually lack. Here are a few of my favourites…

This winter I have been enjoying the view outside. It can be a little more challenging this time of year to find things to photograph, but that just means you need to bundle up and look a little closer.

It is high time I get back to posting some of my latest work, so here it is. I wanted to show you this great shot I took of the Detroit skyline from other side of the icy river.

I love how you can see the reflection of the Renaissance Center in the water.

Before: This first photo was taken in 2010. I was trying out my macro setting on the camera and was enjoying how much detail I could capture in the weeds and yet how blurry I could get the background.

 

After: This is my new favorite recent picture. It was taken at Lincoln Brick Park back in January 2013 when we got out to enjoy above freezing temperatures and some fresh air. I love how much detail there is and how warm the colors are.

Again, I used the macro setting in the this shot. I like how I used the treeline in the second one and how it’s much brighter as well. I would say that you can see a big improvement in my technique.

Back in January we had exceptionally balmy winter weather and now in the early spring of late March it has been exceptionally cold. I may call Michigan and Ontario home but I’m ready to be done with my winter coat and start enjoying some warm sunshine again! Anyone else agree?

I love how much a simple thing like perspective can change everything. With this simple change you can go from taking ordinary and average looking pictures to ones that look much more interesting. Instead of taking this portrait from a standing position (above the subject), or sitting (at the same level as the subject), I took it from below the subject’s level. In this case that meant laying on my stomach, in the snow. Thankfully, I was prepared with all my snow gear on!

My only complaint is that this picture cuts off the top of his hat. Not bad though.

Despite the lack of snow for Christmas this year we still took advantage of the opportunity to be outdoors as a family. We went for a beautiful walk in the park enjoying the sunshine and mild cool temps.

I couldn’t get over colors of the blue sky reflecting off the river.

This was taken at the railroad bridge that crosses the Grand River in Fitzgerald Park. (You can even see the blue Grand Ledge water tower in the distance.)

I love the snow setting on my camera and now I finally get to use it! We just had our first snow storm of the season and I couldn’t pass up the chance to snap a few pictures. I love the beauty of a snow covered landscape. It really is a dramatic contrast to the bright blue sky.

I’m sure there will be a lot more snowy pictures to come this season so I hope you enjoy the white stuff as much as I do.

This was created using Adobe Illustrator for a Christmas Program in 2010. I was going for a very minimalistic look and was given just a day or two to come up with something to go to print.

This year a made my own custom card design, printed it, and sent it to all my friends and family. I took each of these photos individually and edited a few of them to be the festive red I was looking for. Merry Christmas!