Winter’s Beauty Through The Lens vBy Angella Byykkonen Most of us dread the season of winter each year. We cringe at the very thought of subzero temperatures, shoveling snow from our driveways and sidewalks, and driving on icy roads and streets. I will be the first to admit that I am not fond of the cold and the relentless winds that seem to blow forever here in the Midwest of South Dakota. But I will admit there is something calming and magical about the first snowfall of the year. The season brings a newness to our landscapes, blanketing what remains of fall with a crisp coat of white. Wintertime transforms landscapes and locations into dreamlike scenes different from any other time of year. Yet most will never truly stop to see the beauty that Mother Nature has provided in this season. We get lost in the responsibilities of adult life, our jobs, homes, spouses, children, grandchildren and aging parents consume our time and our thoughts every day. To the grocery store, the post office, the school, our jobs and back home again and never pause to truly see the beauty that Mother Nature has presented to us like a gift wrapped present waiting to be unwrapped. That fence post and barbed wire now coated with a heavy layer of frost or ice, becomes glistening jewels. The trees are held suspended in time, every branch embracing each snow flake and it becomes alive once again. Wildlife once camouflaged and hidden in the lush green of trees or thick prairie grass of the fields, are now visible, their natural colors even more striking against the iced ponds and creeks. Most will wander aimlessly lost and obtuse to the beauties in life, what God has provided for us, the changing of the seasons and what Mother Nature has painted for us with a wave of her hand. As children, in the innocence of our youth we were allowed to be carefree, playing in the snow. Looking around at the vast whiteness and mounds of snow and imagining the forts we were going to build. We were now explorers of the Arctic, engineers of tunnels and grand snow palaces. As adults we have lost our youthfulness, imagination, and carefree views of what winter brought, a ring! Start Planning This Years’ summer projects! Think Sp NatureScapingDesigns.com 605-661-1205 22vHERVOICEvJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020