I am not normally a fan of winter. But this year, I have decided to ignore the harsh reality of ice storms, freezing cold nights, and never-ending shoveling and – instead – focus on the visual beauty of majestic Winter Scenes.
We have – officially – passed the Winter Equinox. This means from now until June the days will continue to get a little bit longer each and every day. A little bit more sunlight. A little bit less gloomy.
But we are still several months away from the beauty of Spring and it’s flowering crabapple trees and brilliant yellow forsythia bushes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find some beauty in the snow-covered landscape that is our winter home.
To help bring some beauty into winter, I’ve collected some of my favorite photographs of winter to help showcase just how powerful this season can be.
But, before we delve too deeply into the beauty of Winter, I feel like I should disclose something….
I am not now, nor have I ever been – nor will I ever be – a fan of Winter. I can survive it before Christmas. But, as far as I am concerned, Winter can go back to the frozen-over hell from which it came as soon as the New Year has begun. I truly believe that this particular cartoon perfectly sums up the entire season.
I state this fact only in the off chance that my personal viewpoint on winter colors my selections of winter scenes for you to peruse.
Are You a Fan of Winter?
How do you feel about winter?
- Love it!
- I love parts of winter, but it’s far too long!
- Not a fan, except around Christmas.
- I dislike the cold, but it sure is pretty!
- I dislike everything about winter.
Vote
However, even I – as a Winter curmudgeon – must admit that Winter can be visually spectacular, as witnessed in these Beautiful Winter Scenes.
The Extraordinary Visual Beauty of Winter Scenes
Haunting. Foreboding. Beautiful. And Bleak. That rare combination creates unique winter landscapes that capture the eye, and the imagination.
From snow covered fields to hoarfrost coated trees to frozen riverbeds, Winter provides a feast to the senses. You can see, feel, and even – sometimes – smell the crispness of winter snow.
That first snow, where the earth gets coated in a pristine blanket of white, is truly elegant and beautiful. For a moment, you can set aside the worries about road conditions, shoveling, roof damage, and the other negatives of Winter and just enjoy the beauty of the falling snow.
And there’s something about fresh snow on Christmas decorations that really helps set the spirit of the holidays. No need for spray-on snow when nature provides it in abundance. And perhaps, because Winter’s might tends to block out many of the world’s colors, the might of Christmas lights and decor’s determination to stand out against that blanket of white makes them all the more special.
The Dangerous Beauty of Winter Storms
Even Winter storms can create beautiful, natural artworks. Trees take on an entirely different look when coated with ice, snow, or frost… even if they don’t always survive the transformation. Nature, and Winter, can be as harsh as it is beautiful.
Despite the dangers it may bring along with it, freezing rain can create the most glorious ice sculptures out of nature.
I remember one Winter, many years ago. We had just moved into our new home, and I was getting up early each morning to get the necessary materials from the hardware store for that day’s to-do list. Overnight, we had experienced a touch of snow followed by a light freezing rain.
The result was that each branch of each tree was coated with a layer of snow that had then been encased in ice. As the sun rose on my way to the hardware store, and the sunlight hit these frozen branches, the entire city looked like it had been carved out of crystal.
The Long, Snow Crawl of Winter
Winter can be long and winter can be harsh, but it can also be extraordinarily beautiful.
You can almost feel the crisp in the air in some of these beautiful Winter Scenes.
Getting Out into Winter’s Natural Wonders
Whether you are the type of person who likes to get out and enjoy everything Winter has to offer, or – like me – prefer to hibernate by the fireplace until Winter is done serving up it’s plentiful bounty of cold and snow; one can still appreciate all the natural beauty of Winter.
If these images of beautiful Winter landscapes help take the edge off the bitter cold of Winter, I will be glad that I helped ease a little bit of Winter’s grip.
And Remember… even in the darkest days of Winter, you can enjoy the beauty of these gorgeous Winter Scenes knowing that – inevitably – Spring WILL arrive.
