Friday, January 24, 2014

Meet Helen: Cold, but Beautiful

It has been cold here. Frost-bitingly frigid, actually. And I've been hearing lots of people on Facebook and Twitter complaining about this lingering Polar Vortex. Which brings me to my first point: are these hyperbolic titles really necessary? Whatever happened to assigning a "real to life" name to weather systems, like we do for hurricanes?

So, instead of feeding into this ridiculous meteorological fear-mongering, I'm going to take the more reasonable route and give a more personal name to this cold snap. I will name it Helen.

Hi, Helen. You're cold. I'm going to wear a down coat and gloves when I greet you.

Helen has been with us for awhile now and she has taken her toll. However, while browsing Facebook, a friend, who is a superb photographer, has been posting the most amazing pictures that makes Helen seem beautiful and almost welcoming. Michelle Fritz is a long-time friend of mine, and it is always a delight to see what new Helen-pictures Michelle has captured. I want to share just a few of my favorites with you so that you too might find an appreciation for Helen.






This is one of my kids' favorites.
I LOVE her black-and-white pics.
My dad calls these "rapture clouds". Stunning, yes?

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday, everyone. And be kind to Helen. There's beauty to be found in her. Just bundle up when you go looking for it!

10 comments:

  1. Beautiful photographs, the light is so exciting during abnormal weather systems I love the changes in it these pictures show.

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    1. Yes, the light is amazing, mesmerizing! Thanks, Fiona!

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  2. Birds are my favorite. Beautiful photography!

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  3. I LOVE birds. And clouds. Beautiful. The cat is funny. I wonder what would she do if she could get at those birds? Down here in Oklahoma, Helen just shoves her cold feet under our blanket and wraps them around our legs, but that is enough. So rude. :) Have a good weekend, Anna

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    1. Love the birds - especially the little one with the fluffed up feathers, weathering the storm. And that birdhouse looked like something straight out of a Beatrix Potter story, doesn't it? Sorry for Helen's gauche behavior--she might be beautiful, but she seems to like to misbehave. Thanks, Danni!

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  4. what beautiful images! and Helen is a nice name for this weather. or how about Jack? as in "it's too cold and that's a fact, Jack."
    Debbi
    -yankeeburrow

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    1. Haha! Jack works too - maybe as in "Jack Frost"! But I don't mind Helen. She can still a little while longer ;) Thanks, Debbi!

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  5. We are enjoying the two new birds Helen has brought two to our feeder, a rufous-sided towhee and a new kind of sparrow.

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    1. How fun! I love seeing birds in winter - it's a reminder to me of Spring :)

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