Journeys›Photograph

Watching the Snow Arrive in Late December

·California, United States·#winter#tahoe#snow#landscape#home
A wide lake with rippled water stretches to snow-capped mountains and evergreen forests under a bright blue sky.

The last two weeks of 2016 started out quiet. There were some clear, cold days around the lake, with the water calm under a deep blue sky. Snow was on the distant mountains but hadn't really settled on the ground yet. I just spent time down by the shore, taking in the low winter sun.

Then the storm rolled in. I woke up one morning to a landscape covered in a thick blanket of snow. The view from our deck was completely transformed. For a couple of days, it was all about watching the snow pile up on the railings and trees. The sunsets were muted, just a soft glow behind the clouds.

Once the storm passed, a real stillness set in. One morning was particularly foggy, with a thick mist hanging low over the water. I walked down to the dock and saw someone had built a tiny snowman on a post. The evenings that followed, however, were something else entirely—the sky lit up in incredible pink and orange hues against the white landscape.

The year ended with an intense, quiet cold. Everything felt frozen in place. On one of those last days, the trees and sky reflected perfectly on the water's surface, which looked almost unnaturally blue in the winter light. Just a regular couple of weeks at home, watching the season change.

Bright sun reflects on a lake with distant mountains, a forested shore, a long pier, and a rocky beach.Heavy snow blankets pine trees, a wooden railing, a lake, and distant mountains under a blue, cloudy sky.A snowy deck with a railing overlooks a lake and snow-covered mountains at sunset, framed by pine trees.Snow-covered trees and a wooden deck overlook a lake and mountains, with sunlight peeking through the trees.A snow-covered dock with a snowman faces a misty lake backed by a snowy forest and mountains.Snow-covered pine trees frame a lake reflecting a colorful sunset, with a road and car visible.Snow-covered pine trees frame a lake and mountains under a vibrant pink and orange sunrise sky.Snowy evergreen trees line a calm, reflective lake under a bright blue sky with subtle clouds.

More Entries