Snowy Trees in the Pennsylvania Mountains Bring 2007 to a Wintery Finish

Last night we were promised 2-4 inches of snow and by all accounts the weather forecasters were right on target. We did get about 3 inches of flaky, heavy snow.

Up before the sun, which is pretty easy to do now that the days are so short, I went outside with thermals on to snap a few pictures. The light was really dim, but getting so ever slightly brighter with each passing moment. Had I any foresight into the beautiful morning sunrise I would have set up the tripod and time-lapsed a few photos before the sun came up. The gray sky gently contrasted with the white snow perched on the tree limbs. Dark tree trunks stood out in the white and gray, winter woodland scene.

Snowy trees in the early morning light.

The snow is a bit like the ice we had a couple weeks ago as it is sticking to everything – at least until the wind picks up or until the sun starts shining.

Snow sticking to the tree limbs as seen from below.

It is a very still morning with only a crow silently drifting overhead. Its blackness moves in sharp contrast to the newly fallen snow on the tree limbs. Sometime in the night or early morning a fox had passed this way as told by the tracks it left behind.

I can’t describe the feeling one gets standing here in the middle of the woods, early in the morning before the sun is up, listening to the stillness…there is a feeling of being surrounded or closed in, but in a nice, warm hug kind of way…reverent, still, awesome.

Imagine yourself standing in the center of this picture. No sound – the stillness is awesome. It gives you a feeling of being close to God.

Happy New Year! From our mountain home in the woods.