Snow for Christmas
I took this photo while we were skiing during a snow storm on the lake.
A solid base of snow has accumulated outside the studio, heavy enough that the pesky winds cannot blow it all away. The fluffy top layer blows into drifts on the sidewalk and around the outdoor spa. Now my painting breaks include regular shoveling, banking the snow into piles that keep growing taller and taller.
Daylight reached its winter solstice on December 21st, we cross country skied across the lake at dusk 3:30pm. It was gorgeous. Fat flakes of falling snow created a muffled silence, the swishing of our skis was the only sound until the quiet was broken by whine of three snowmachines. Unfortunately, the consistent wind has kept the trees bare.
It will be a white Christmas for the first time in several years. We are very excited about having a deep snow cover, it insulates the ground and plants from the damage of a penetrating frost.
Merry Christmas to all and God’s Blessings.
Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist
