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~ Reflections on Beauty

Satin & Sand

Tag Archives: Snow

Beautiful Winter White…

07 Wednesday Jan 2026

Posted by Satin & Sand in beautiful, Lauren DiMarco, Poetry, Reflections, Snow, Winter

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beautiful, Clarity, Lauren DiMarco, Photography, Snow, snow storm, white, Winter

©Joan Currie – My daughter, Lauren, enveloped in the snow.


In White Weather
by Joan Currie

The trail vanished.
Wind rushed past like an animal
that did not see me.
Snow came harder, then harder–
the world narrowed to breath,
to the small miracle of standing.

I lifted my hands
and they disappeared.
Nothing stayed long enough
to be named.
The storm had its own mind,
and I was inside it.

Then–listen–
something opened.
Not the sky.
Not the snow.
But the place in me
that waits for silence
before it speaks.

Ideas arrived gently,
as they do under water,
or in the shower,
clear and shining,
each one saying:
Here. This is yours.

I stayed awhile
in the great unseeing,
learning what the storm knows:
that sometimes
not being able to see
makes things more visible–
the true shape of a thought,
the calm beneath urgency,
the joy of simply being here.

When I turned back,
the lodge glowed like a promise–
lamplight, voices, heat.
I carried with me
what the white weather gave:
a rinsed mind,
a quiet heart,
and the bright understanding
that clarity does not always arrive
in light.

Where or how do you find clarity?

Beautiful Hedgehog in the Snow…

11 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Animals, Art, Mammals, Nature, Poetry, watercolor, Winter

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Animals, Art, beautiful, Hedgehog, hedgehogs, Nature, Poetry, Snow, watercolor, Winter

© Joan Currie – My Hedgehog in the Snow watercolor and gouache painting.

Hedgehog in the Snow by Joan Currie

In a quiet wood where leaves gently spread,
A hedgehog dwelled, his own path he’d tread.
Alone he preferred, in solitude’s embrace,
Away from his prickle, a solitary grace.

In rustling leaves, he found delight,
Playing alone, a lone hedge’s right.
Curling in a ball, he’d peacefully sleep,
In solitude’s company, his secrets to keep.

One morn, a snowy blanket covered the land,
The woods adorned in an arctic strand.
Under the sun’s gaze, a serene tableau,
Yet, no fellow creatures, no friend or foe.

As he played in the snow, a shadow drew near,
Unseen by the hedgehog, it whispered in his ear.
In his longing for solace, he returned to his den,
Curled up in a ball once more, in dreams to transcend.

Little hedgehog, in the quiet of his rest,
Unaware of the shadow, a mysterious guest.
Alone, he slumbers, in his dream’s reprieve,
In the snowy woods, where secrets weave.

I first learned about hedgehogs from The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a delightful little children’s book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. Although the protagonist hedgehog interacted with other animals in the story, hedgehogs are known to be solitary creatures – save for mating. I know at least one person who is very much a loner, like the hedgehog, and he seems very content. :)

Beautiful Snow Leopard…

05 Friday Jan 2024

Posted by Satin & Sand in Animals, Art, Mammals, Nature, Poetry, Reflections, watercolor, Wild animals, Winter

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Art, beautiful, environment, mountains, Nature, Poetry, Snow, Snow leopard, watercolor, Winter

© Joan Currie – My watercolor and ink painting of a Snow Leopard.

Ode to a Snow Leopard by Joan Currie

In the peaks where snow doth lie,
A creature graced with silent stride,
Snow leopard roams beneath the sky,
In the realm where frost abides.

With fur of silver, spots of night,
Its gaze, ice blue, a mystic sight,
Amongst snow-capped mountains high,
A guardian beneath the moonlight.

Once a child of that mountain air,
A woman now, distant and fair,
From the village, she did part,
Leaving behind a heavy heart.

In dreams, she hears the snow’s soft call,
A longing echoes through the hall,
Her spirit yearns for frozen grace,
To wander in that wild embrace.

The snow leopard, a silent guide,
Through peaks where memories abide,
Its eyes like crystals, piercing cold,
A tale of nature’s beauty told.

The woman, haunted by the past,
Desires the mountains, free at last,
To return to where her soul belongs,
Amidst the snow, where it prolongs.

Through valleys deep and rivers wide,
Her heart retraces steps beside,
Towards the peaks, she yearns to climb,
Reconnect with frozen time.

Oh, snow leopard with eyes so bright,
Guide her through the frigid night,
To find her way, to nature’s lore,
To the mountains she adored once more.

The northern landscapes that shaped my early years now seem like distant dreams. I wish for a winter’s day, especially in the late afternoon as the sun is setting, when the snow is infused with soft shades of white, blue, lavender, and rose.

Ten Beautiful Outdoor Winter Preparations…

03 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by Satin & Sand in 10 Beautiful Things, Photography, Ten Beautiful Things, Tips, Travel, Winter

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cold, Dutch whaler hats, Ice, Outdoor preparations, Rijksmuseum, Snow, Winter, Winter outdoors, Winter preparedness tips, Winter safely, Winter survival

Dutch whaler woolen hat, c. 1650-1700, I photographed at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

“…the men recognized one another only by the pattern of stripes on the caps. The men were bundled up so tightly against the fierce cold that only their eyes were visible.” Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

It’s wintertime and I plan to spend time outdoors. Despite the prevalence of winter survival videos that make life in the wilderness look so easy, the elements can be very unpredictable and conditions can become life-threatening very quickly. I have experienced some challenging times in snow country, including my snowmobile falling through the ice. Fortunately, I was able to jump away from the ice hole, but after that, I had a much greater respect for winter safety and safety in general. I travel with a buddy whenever possible and make sure I set up a communication and locator alert system with a designated family member or friend before setting out.
Here’s what I do to keep warm and safe in the cold:

1. Wear a woolen hat and neck warmer. (I have knit myself several, and always bring a couple of extra ones in case it snows heavily and they get wet.)

2. Use a waterproof shell for my woolen mittens to keep my hands warm and dry (see below). I pack spare pairs of mitten liners.

3. Dress in layers to regulate my warmth and so I can remove or replace ones if needed. I pack backup clothes as well, including a bag that I always keep in the trunk of the car. If it is really cold, I wrap a wide wool scarf around my waist and over my kidneys to keep my core warm.

4. I know my gear: I have tested my sleeping bag to be sure of its comfort rating. I pack an extra one in case the temperature drops lower than anticipated. (I use a converted quilt as my backup sleeping bag to my mummy sleeping bag.) I make sure to keep them both dry, especially since they are down-filled.

5. Take a pocket thermometer to be aware of the temperature dropping, particularly in the late afternoon.

6. Take a travel carbon monoxide detector in case I have to spend time in my car or a cabin with a gas heater or open flame.

7. Keep my phone charged and keep it close to my body so it doesn’t freeze up. Pack a backup battery.

8. A flashlight, headlamp, and high visibility reflective vest are musts.

9. Bring along extra food such as power bars and especially water – I keep a water bottle tucked in an inside pocket.

10. Car equipment: chains or cables, shovel, sand or kitty litter for traction. Snow equipment: waterproof boots with snow leg gaiters, snowshoes, boot calipers, rope, and a small axe, ice pick and knife. I mark my ice pick handle with one inch markings to measure the thickness of the ice.

My cold weather mittens with wool liners and outer shells.

Ten Beautiful Things I Like About a North Man…

22 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by Satin & Sand in Photography, Reflections, Relationships

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Tags

beautiful, Ice, Ice fishing, North, Snow, W.H. Auden, Winter







North – cold, wind, precipices, glaciers, caves, heroic conquest of dangerous obstacles,
whales, hot meat, and vegetables, concentration and production, privacy. – W. H. Auden

  1. The way he uses an auger to makes holes for ice fishing before laying in the gill net.
  2. The way he pulls the polar shell over his leather mittens.
  3. The way he lays logs for a fire in the granite fireplace that he built himself.
  4. The way he knows what the temperature is without checking the thermometer.
  5. The way the snow and frost settle on his eyebrows.
  6. The way he climbs onto the roof to sweep off the snow.
  7. The way he snaps icicles off the eavestrough before they shatter onto the ground.
  8. The way he puts chains on his truck and that they always fit.
  9. The way he folds his trapper blanket at the end of the bed.
  10. The way he knows all the constellations in the winter sky – Orion being our favorite.

Photograph © David Dodds

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