Episode 20: “A Wintry Mix”

Today's episode features the winter wall art titled "A Wintry Mix."  When it rains and snows and sleets and slushes together in some combination (or all at the same time), it is known and labeled by the weather forecasters as "a wintry mix."  We roll our eyes upon hearing this description.  It almost sounds friendly!  The scenario is not uncommon here in the northern temperate rainforest on the Southeast Alaska coast during the months of October through March.  At sea level, temperatures often fluctuate by only 5 degrees all day long, hovering around freezing and confusing the heck out of the water falling out of the sky.  Hence, we end up with a little bit of everything on the ground.  Of course, ten to fifteen thousand feet up into the nearby Fairweather Mountains, there is no doubt at all about what's falling.  The snow starts coming and keeps coming, end of story.  But down below, the sloppy wintry mix is all the challenge we need as we continue to go about our daily chores.Here's the story behind the image.  To the north of the meadow is a thick spruce grove, visible as the dark textured backdrop in this image, and just beginning to be defined by the snow sticking to branches.  Big fat flakes are falling due to the warm, near-freezing temperatures, which makes them easy to see against the dark spruce behind.  Cloud cover is thick and has been for days, but this afternoon there's a break down at the horizon.  The sun's angle as it slices through the gap makes for long rays that sweep across the meadow.  It's early enough in the season for the tall grasses to mostly have their seed heads intact, and they all bob together in a wave as the wind passes through.  The sun lights up the amber grasses and the glowing color grabs my eye.Snow and sunshine happening together!  Now, there's a friendly mix.  I know the magic moment will be short lived; it won't be long before the sun sinks and the clouds dampen the light.  Quickly, I shut off the wood splitter, happy for an excuse to take a break.  The sudden quiet allows me to hear the soft sigh of the wind as it whispers through the grasses and rustles the spruce branches.  I find my phone and make my way around the house to find just the right spot to capture the image before the intense golden beams fade away.  The brightness is almost surreal, and I stand mesmerized by the scene.  Such grace in the midst of my ordinary, chore-filled day!  I take a moment to stand still and take it in.  Soon enough, the mix will shuffle back to the ordinary gray sky and rainy sleet, or sleety snow, or whatever... But for now, I can marvel once again at the ordinary beauty of the world.Alaska Winter Wall Art by Gustavus, Alaska artist Lillian Ruedrich.  Love this image?  Click here to view the entire collection of prints, notecards and calendars.