Photography, Alaska, Creation, Nature, Wildlife, Landscapes, Inspiration, God, Art, Beauty, Great Smoky Mountains
Canoeing in a light drizzle across the lake yesterday, a pair of Gavia immer serenaded me. The melancholic warbling call of the common loon is the call of the wilderness. . . . a tranquil respite that was mine to embrace in troubled world. I M Blessed . . . May U B 2
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
Keep Looking Up . . . His Best is Yet to Come!
Last week, some 5,000 miles north-by-northwest, found me gliding through freshly fallen snow. Shortly thereafter, some 35,000 ft. above terra-firma, found me zooming through the skies at 600 mph in high-speed-aluminum tubing. This afternoon, some 2,000 ft. up in the Great Smoky Mountains, found me shuffling through fall’s fallen leaves . . . fictional Star Trek travel fantasy a mere century ago.
Walking on the moon is old history. Today, there are people are living above the earth in a high-tech mini-condo, and some everyday citizens (admittedly wealthy ones 😊) are taking short jaunts into space for a quick, high-altitude adrenaline rush.
As mind-boggling as today’s travel would have been to Lewis and Clark trudging through the wilderness in the early 1800s, imagine the travel future our children will experience … living on the moon … up close and personal exploration of our solar system’s other planets … traveling the expanses the Milky Way … ???
Yet, each of us has already accomplished 2 of the 3 legs of the most mind-boggling travel journey of all … Heaven to Earth. The last leg of the journey remains to travel, and has but one of two final, forever destinations . . . the choice is ours alone to decide.
It was already accomplished some 2,000 years ago, and multitudes have since followed:
“In My Father’s house there are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I, am you may be also.” – John 14:2-3
The third leg of our journey has been paid-in full for anyone who accepts the offer and trusts the One who has already made it. Mind-boggling? … For Sure! … Prove it! … Can’t! … that’s why it’s called Faith. Hope to see you there someday.
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come! . . . Mind-Boggling!
A ½” of virgin, unmarked snow . . . a cool, gentle breeze . . . a pinking hour sunset brushed across distant snowcaps – the wilderness wonder postcard God created for me to glide through before hanging up my skis and heading off to rejoin my life partner in the Great Smoky Mountains tomorrow.
I’ve missed her, and Lord willing, come Spring we’ll return together to the solitude of this awesome corner of creation with its vast wilderness reaches, rugged magnificence, and primal beauty John Muir once called “The Manuscripts of God”.
I M Blessed . . . May U B 2
Keep Looking Up . . . His Best Is Yet To Come!
The thermometer registered an ‘invigorating’ minus 15 when sun peeked above the horizon at 9:30 AM today, but by 11 AM has risen to a ‘balmy’ minus 5 😊
Noting the impending heat wave, Grant and I layered-up headed out to romp through the wilderness around Girdwood, AK, where lotsa’ white stuff has fallen.
We enjoyed our frigid father/son day together, but were somewhat perplexed why we didn’t encounter lotsa’ of other folks along the trail on such a lovely day ??? 😊
Here’s of few frigid fun pics from our adventure. Be blessed . . . and stay warm 😊
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
We’ve been locked in an Arctic Deep-Freeze here for the past several days . . . single digits below zero at night, rising above zero by day. This ‘refreshing’ spell is projected to continue until the weekend.
Last night I arose to throw another log on the fire and noticed a faint Aurora glow over the mountains. Although far from a spectacular display, I thought it worthy of a pic and grabbed my camera. Attired in my slippers and bathrobe, I stepped out on the deck for a quick point-and-shoot photo. Things rapidly deteriorated when I shut the door and heard it click locked behind me!
Leisurely point-and-shoot Plan A suddenly transformed into frantic find-or-freeze Plan B, scrambling to dig out the spare house key. After one of the ‘chilliest’ 3 minutes I’ve ever experienced, the key was successfully located, and I let myself back in . . . mere seconds from frostbite beginning to affect some rather sensitive areas . . . definitely not my finest photo opt, although it might have qualified as a contender for America’s Funniest Home Videos 😊
I did manage to quickly snap the attached photo of the Aurora. However, the fuzziness and faint star trails speak to the difficulty in holding the camera steady when donned in your slippers and bathrobe at -7 degrees 😊
Stay warm, and be blessed!
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
I attended church twice today. Following this morning’s indoor service, I attended an outdoor service alone, embraced by Nature’s unspeakable, pristine, sub-zero splendor . . . sensing my infinitesimal smallness . . . silently worshiping my omnipotent Creator and keeper of my soul.
“How great Thou art!”
“I would like to have seen the whole world with eyes incapable of anything but wonder, and with a tongue fluent only in praise.” – Pat Conroy
I M Blessed . . . May U B 2
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
The thermometer registered – 4 this morning, assuring my PTSD day (Plow The Snow Dude) would be a ‘refreshing’ task. Suiting up in thermal-ware, my snowplow greeted the frigid winter wonderland.
Fortunately, this antique 1942 model, self-propelled snowplow, outfitted with a snow-scoop attachment still functioned to successfully remove nearly a foot of frozen fluff from the ½ football field length driveway. Its got lotsa’ dings, doesn’t run as fast as it once did, and original replacement parts are no longer available. However, it remains basically mechanically sound, although some of its memory components are shot. Best of all, it comes with a forever warranty, and I fueled it up this morning with 2 oatmeal-raisin cookies and a cup of coffee 😊
Task accomplished, I’m giving it a hot shower, hot cup of Ovaltine, and retiring it for the evening . . . pondering why long driveways no longer hold the appeal for me they once did 😊
Stay warm and be blessed.
With temps in the teens headed for single digits tonight and sub-zero later this week, it was time for an Alaskan wardrobe change. Unable to find my wet-suit, I decided to forgo testing the lake’s ice thickness 😊
Stay warm and remember . . . there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.
Clouds abated today and sunshine peeked through, a welcome respite from a lengthy stretch of stormy weather . . . and I heard the mountains calling.
John Muir once said, “You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you” . . . and today they moved in.
High among mountain cathedrals’ majesty, blanketed in pristine virgin white, He silently whispered to my soul in the solitude . . . Peace, Hope, Joy and Love . . . so thirsted for in the world below me.
Scripture tells us that faith can move mountains . . . climbing mountains always moves my faith to greater heights, wishing I could linger longer.
“I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
Life has lotsa’ ‘Firsts’ and ‘Seconds’ . . . First or Second best . . . First or Second place . . . First or Second choice . . . First or Second helping . . . threw that one in for Thanksgiving 😊. In this world First is preferable to Second, especially during those times life throws ‘Thirds’, Fourths’ and ‘Fifths’ our way.
Storm clouds obscured this morning’s sunrise, definitely not a ‘First’ weather day . . . until . . . streaming rays of sunlight pierced the clouds, reminding me, the ultimate ‘Second’ awaits . . . His return!
“Behold, He cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him” – Revelation 1:7
Keep Looking Up . . . His best is yet to come!
Abba's Art 