Winter's Arrival

Winter has arrived with a vengeance! It brought snow and bitterly cold temperatures with it. I thought I'd share just a few photos with you today.

There is a cemetery across the road from our house. During the years that we've lived here, we've observed some of the different ways people grieve the loss of loved ones. Some have annual gatherings at the grave site on the birthday or date of death of the deceased, often with balloons and flowers and other tokens of remembrance and affection. 

The first photo in today's post shows one such group that had gathered during a snowstorm on December 23, to raise their beer cans in a toast to their departed friend or family member. 

On one occasion, in the first year of their grief, this group stacked their empty beer cans around the tombstone of their friend or family member at the closing of their meeting. We haven't been over to the cemetery since the 23rd, to see if any of the cans are still there from this session.

On Christmas Day, Doug and I drove the two hours to see Doug's brother, Dennis, and take him out for a Christmas meal. Very few restaurants are open on Christmas, and we have a long-standing tradition of taking Dennis to a truck stop which never closes and is just about halfway between his home and ours. This year was a bit more challenging because the weather was terrible between Dennis' apartment and the truck stop. There were frequent snow squalls and near-white-out conditions.

I shot this through the windshield from the back seat during one such snow squall.

This is another shot, with a little better visibility.

As we returned to Dennis' home after our meal, I snapped this shot of a house that I'd noticed earlier. It looked so pretty in the snowy setting.

I hope you've all had a blessed Christmas and will have a safe and happy New Year's celebration.

Moose Lake & Christmas Lights

On December 12, Doug and I joined our church's senior group for a short drive to Moose Lake Christian Craft Village. There were 31 of us, including three who met us at our destination. There wasn't enough room on the church bus for everyone, so Doug and I drove separately and provided transportation to two other ladies who are good friends.

We ate supper at Moose Lake Village, which offers a variety of menu choices. The servers kept the snacks coming as we waited for our meals, so much so that we didn't have much appetite for the actual meals when they arrived. But they offered to-go boxes, so that solved that problem. And there were no complaints about the wait for the meals since we were eating the whole time.

The general store offers a large selection of craft items, many of which are Amish-made. Click here for a link to a write-up about Moose Lake and the variety of products and activities offered there.

Lotions and Soaps

Himalayan Salts and Scents

Amish Jar Goods

A small rustic chapel at Moose Lake

After spending a couple of hours at Moose Lake, we took a drive through the Fantasy of Lights in Fort Wayne.

Fantasy of Lights

Next, we drove through downtown Fort Wayne to see some of the lights there. At this point, we lost track of the church bus we were following and missed some of the most popular displays. But I did manage to get pictures of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Tower. 

For as long as I can remember, the Lincoln Tower has placed electric candles in every window during the Christmas season. It's a beautiful sight, which is perhaps not evident in my photo.

The white building to the right is the county courthouse. It's a gorgeous structure, full of architectural artistry, and one that I should feature on the blog sometime.

I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas as we all pause to remember and to celebrate the greatest Gift ever given.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

When Fall Meets Winter

Saturday brought a little over an inch of snow, our first measurable accumulation this season. Our oak tree had finally released most of its leaves during the few days preceding the snow, but Doug hadn't been able to burn them due to high winds. Well, the winds were calm on Saturday, so Doug went out to burn leaves...in the snow.

A child's toy left out in the snow in the yard behind ours. 
That's another neighbor's boxer in the background (not a deer).

Snow on the crabapples

White Pine

Our Back Yard Swing

More snow is in the forecast. Fall and winter have met, and winter has won.