On the second-to-last day of 2017, we boarded the ferry for a trip to the mainland. We spent a couple of nights in Vancouver, with our youngest daughter and her husband. I didn't take a single photo. The weather was chilly and sunny.
We brought in the New Year with a crab dinner, watching Star Wars on Netflix, and headed to bed shortly after midnight.
On the first we wound our way through Vancouver, crossed the Port Mann Bridge and drove along Highway 1 towards Chilliwack. As we approached Abbotsford, the scenery beside the road changed dramatically from greens and browns to crystal clear and white.
The ice coating caused by the storm a few days earlier was preserved by the cool weather. The first photo shows a blank billboard along the highway that I decided to write in.
My grandfather once owned a raspberry field alongside the highway. I spent a summer picking berries there and always think of him, and that summer, when I drive by. It's now a blueberry field, and although the second photo is blurry, the sea of white ice covering the plants is still dramatic. Each branch appears coated in clear crystal.
Before driving to my parents' home, we stopped at the Great Heron Reserve along the Vedder River for a short walk and some photos.
As we walked along the trail, the sharp snap of ice cracking overhead accompanied us. Small shards fell and stabbed into the snow on the ground. The beauty was breath-taking, but also treacherous. Many were without power for several days. Branches and entire trees snapped under the weight of ice.
It's amazing to me that more trees didn't collapse. The ice is so thick compared to the delicate thin branches.
A larger view - a winter wonderland!
I'm looking forward to a few more quiet days at home before school begins. I've not had time to reflect on the year behind and ponder the year ahead. Some time writing in my journal and updating calendars will happen. Simple cooking. A little stitching. Quiet days.
And now a huge storm is forecast for the east coast of Canada and the USA. One of my work colleagues is stranded in the UK with his son who played for Canada in a rugby match. We're assuming it's because of the impending weather. I hope and pray that those of you affected will remain warm and safe.
Sounds like the perfect end and beginning. That picture of the bare trees and all the frost is so lovely but I know that it can wreck such havoc. Sending wishes for a bright and sparkly new year.
ReplyDeleteI love the close up of those ice covered branches - isn't nature wonderful? That is a similar effect to what I saw here when it snowed before Christmas - then the yellow setting sun made the branches twinkle like a myriad of fairylights - beautiful Lorie.
ReplyDeleteThe opposite of fire, ice is like it in that it's beautiful even in its destructive mode.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get that contemplative time before school starts. Happy New Year! God bless you.
How beautiful it all looks but it also has its dark side doesn't it? Hope your colleague will make it back safely once the storm has passed. Hope too that you manage to get in some quiet puttering time before work starts again.
ReplyDeleteYour ice fairyland pictures are beautiful. But as you say ice on trees can be so dangerous. We seem to get ice here more than snow, but so far we've missed it all this year, we're far enough inland to miss this huge storm passing by. Enjoy these quiet days, and thanks for your thoughtful comment on my post.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks beautiful with a clear layer of ice on it...COLD and quiet! Love your photos and the memories you've shared. We don't have ice here but we have frost this morning. Enjoy your day. Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteLorrie, your beautiful photos and vivid descriptions put me right in the scene. I can almost hear the ice cracking!
ReplyDeleteThat looks, and I'm sure was, so frigid with so much ice covering everything Lorrie.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and glad you were safe traveling under those circumstances.
Continuing so cold here and we had just a dusting of snow last night, enough to make it pretty this morning - but I'm not leaving the house. Have been outside taking bird photos - of course - and now working on putting 'Christmas' away!
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Mary -
Good morning Lorrie, I often wonder how something so beautiful could cause so much havoc, especially taking down power lines, give me snow any day rather than ice. Your photos are breathtakingly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWe dodged the bullet in our area, only about an inch of snow, but the extreme cold is keeping it here.
I pray all are safe in the northeast and Canada.
Thank you for your friendship and visits, I am so happy we are friends.
Wishing much continued happiness and joy this new year.
Blessings,
Sue
Whilst it really does look beautiful, I can imagine the chaos conditions like that can cause. Stay safe and warm.
ReplyDeleteIt's me again, I guess I can comment twice in one day~wink~ I read some of your previous posts, enjoyed them so much, I too like to keep greenery around this time of year. Loved the Christmas family photo, beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sue
Amazing. What a fun add in you wrote on that blank bill board! :)
ReplyDeleteYour photos really captured the beauty of this event. It's sad about all the trees that were destroyed. I saw a photo of the work crews that had to go and re-install all the power poles that fell down under the weight. Glad you were able to travel safely.
Glorious photos but I’m feeling a little chilly just looking at them. Nice to have a few more days holiday. Our teachers were all back on Wednesday. I always feel it’s mean when they go back before the end of the twelfth night. Keep cosy and out of that storm. B x
ReplyDeleteYour icy photos are wonderful. Stay safe!!!
ReplyDeleteIce does such a dramatically beautiful thing to nature, doesn't it! What a winter wonderland...gorgeous photos! At least you made it to New Years...I was in bed by 10:30. Maybe I AM getting old...LOL!
ReplyDeleteYou captured the aftermath of an ice storm so well, both the calamity and the beauty. How wonderful that you have a longer break than some. It is needed to restore the mind and body. When you return, you’ll be excited to press on.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, I thought that the billboard text was real. HA! You captured the ice images beautifully. I think that we'll be spared the storm, but will be under a deep freeze through the weekend.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos
ReplyDeleteI pray for no ice storms here.
Those scenes are amazing . . . and amazingly beautiful! I am glad to know that you made safe passage to and from your destination. May the calm of these remaining days of your break fill your cup!
ReplyDeleteits look realy beautiful
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful collection of photographs.
ReplyDeleteThe weather worldwide has been quite awful with so many countries affected by bad weather. I hope your work colleagues return safely.
Enjoy the days before going back to school.
My good wishes for 2018.
All the best Jan
Your pictures are beautiful, Lorrie. My brother lives in Sardis and I always find that area peaceful. Enjoy your peaceful days before school starts again.
ReplyDeleteOh, your photos look just like what we saw here last week, power outage and all.
ReplyDeleteIt was breathtakingly beautiful but also sad to see so much damage. Glad you could visit family and that you still have some down time before school starts.
Lorrie, That macro shot of the ice on the small branches is amazing. Weather has been cold here as well. The roads for my travels over the holidays were good. Thanks for sharing. Sylvia D.
ReplyDeleteLovely and treacherous, indeed. I remember a late-October ice storm in Cleveland, Ohio. Most of the trees still had leaves, which meant even more ice and weight. The sound of the branches cracking outside our house was like a booming cannon. We moved everyone to the basement in case one of our old trees should land on the house ... which didn't happen, thank God! Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteThis weather must not be easy to live through but it is magic in your photos.I hope you're all keeping warm.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
PS. Crab dinner and Star Wars - a brilliant way to welcome a new year.
Your visits sound wonderful. That ice is so gorgeous, dangerous I know but so beautiful. Stay warm!
ReplyDelete