SOLSTICE

Snow falls

on the mountains,

paperwhites

at my window.

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Abundant rainfall in the lowlands, deep snow in the mountains. Next year Mt. Baker will release its white coat as river water, nourishing all creatures and plants in the river delta before merging with the Salish Sea. The paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceous) will fade long before then. I will plant them outside. Maybe they will bloom again, maybe not. Cycles of life.

Happy Holidays to Everyone

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This entry was posted in Nature Studies, Pacific Northwest, photography, writing and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

78 comments

  1. Mount Baker vanishing in the distance, still staying closely with the warm light. Thank you for the beautiful seasons greeting and for a whole year of extraordinary photography combined with very dear and precious words, Lynn.
    The flowery pictures seem to show our fragile hopes for a better future, for a future at all.
    May your holydays be peaceful and cozy, may the New Year be a happy and healthy one for you both, dear Lynn.

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    • The Narcisuss photos do offer hope – thank you for mentioning that. Mt. Baker is 40 miles (64 km) as the crow flies – from the place where the photos were made. After a dry summer when a lot, but not all of the snow melted, it’s good to see it completely covered again. One delight deserved another and the Narcisuss flowers blooming now seemed to complement the distant mountain. Thank you for always being here with kind words. Schöne Ferien! 😉

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  6. A peaceful and beautiful set of photos to welcome winter. He will certainly be happy
    and we too!
    I wish peace, tenderness and health, perhaps the most important thing to balance this very unbalanced world…
    Thank you and return the Happy Holidays!🍀

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    • That would be nice, wouldn’t it? There are lots of great views in this area but ours is of trees, lots of tall ones. 😉 Mt. Baler is about 41 miles from the spot where I made the photos. I don’t have to drive far to see it but as you might guess, it’s often behind clouds, especially at this time of year. Here’s to sunlight brightening our northern days and sweet flowers at our windows.

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    • I’m sure you’ll enjoy yours whenever they bloom – the fragrance is so nice in winter. I’m glad you liked this pairing, Laura, thanks so much for letting me know – and have a great holiday!

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  19. The mountains covered with snow are beautiful. You captured their beauty so well. I am glad to hear that you will have enough water in springtime! What a relief. The narcissus are called paperwhites? A funny name. The pictures are wonderful, they show the tenderness of the blossoms, the transience, but also the new beginning of life. I hope they will survive, but of course you are right, if they don’t, it is the circle of life. Let go is the key, right 🙂 Happy Solstice to you! Tomorrow the days will be longer again, yeah!

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    • Those photos were made with the one long lens I have. It’s big so I don’t take it with me very often but I was glad I had it that day! Like you, we have been seeing some interesting changes in the weather from day to day. Soon it’s going to be very, very cold.
      I wonder why they’re called paperwhites – they are not really like paper. Do you see these in Germany, the Narcisuss that is sold to “force” into bloom inside in the winter? The scent is nice and they’re so easy to grow. I bought an Amaryllis, too, a white one. Most of them are red but I love the white ones. The little first leaf is just barely peeking out now from the big, fat bulb.
      Happy longer days to you too!! 😉

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      • Talking of paperwhites I would think there are other plants that fit better. But they are delicate the Narcissus. Yes, we have plants like that too, that bloom in winter inside. Sometimes I buy them in January, when I can’t stand the winter any longer 😉 Or Primula. I love them, they are so joyous! Amaryllis are beautiful. You will have enough time to enjoy them 🙂
        I hope it won’t be too cold in your place! The last years we had strong frost from time to time, since the jet stream don’t work the way it used to did…

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  21. There is a huge difference when I look at your pics trough may mobile phone and newly, with my laptop.
    When your posts arrive, then it’s usually past midnight and I look per phone.
    And, additionally, I use the reader.
    Here and now, I use your website per laptop.
    The 1st pic is awesome..huge huge huge
    I also like the third one and the fifth.
    You see, quite different…

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    • 🙂 Well, I never learned German. I learned French in school and never used it so it’s gone. Your English is fine. Everyone has different a background, education, personality, etc. and that means we see things differently, which is interesting. I’m always interested to hear about what is appealing, and why, if it’s possible to explain. 🙂

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  28. Every photo a thing of beauty. So lovely, especially the flowers. We’re in Montreal with family which keeps us warm on the inside. Outside it’s about -20. Looking forward to seeing Vancouver’s snow covered mountains when we return.
    Happy Holidays Lynn.
    Alison

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    • I’m happy you enjoyed the flowers – they smell good, too. 🙂 I’m sure you’re having a good time with family in beautiful Montreal, no matter the weather. You’ve probably heard about the white Christmas for Vancouver PLUS the cold snap next week. It looks much less likely that we’ll have snow down here but we might. The serious cold, yes. I shudder! 😉

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  29. oh my the white ☺️🤍❄️beautiful to me Lynn…and my paper whites are about 5 inches tall…I can’t wait to see them now🤍🕊happy holidays this year I hope we can finally connect…with Alison as I see her comment above…so enjoy your posts and threads…big squeeze 🤗🤍hugs hedy

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    • That would be fun! What a crazy end-of-the-year we’re having…just heard BC had a record number of cases in 24 hrs, then went to my bookstore/cafe only to find a “Closed” sign saying 2 of their fully vaccinated employees tested positive. I was there yesterday. & everyone wore masks, as they always do. Well, this too is temporary…so I’ll think about the beauty of paperwhites (the fragrance!) and a future meeting. Enjoy your days, whatever way they enfold! 😉

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    • It does. Of course, it’s often hidden because we have quite a few cloudy days up here, but when it’s not, what a nice focal point it is. We don’t see it from home – just tall trees here – but any time we drive into town or off the island, there it is, to the east. As you know, the best part is seeing it in different guises, from that crisp morning craggy, chiseled look to a soft necklace of clouds around the base or a veil from which it peaks out. Once in a while, from a few high points nearby we can see Rainier way off to the southeast, and lesser peaks in between. Then there are the Olympics to the southwest, a row of mountains that looks like torn construction paper. Recently I’ve figured out that on very clear days I can see a few Canadian mountains to the northeast well enough to identify them. None of our mountains feel close the way the mountains around SLC do and mountain sunsets don’t seem as spectacular as in AZ but I’m not complaining. 🙂

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      • I think part of the joy of having mountains so nearby is that we are able to see them in all of their presentations, as you described…like changing faces or moods, inviting or foreboding, and always welcome.

        It’s awesome that you can see up into Canada and view those mountains, as well, even as far as they are, and be able to identify them.

        And yes, the SLC mountains are certainly “right there,” aren’t they…and the AZ sunsets hard to match…but no, you’re certainly nothing to complain about up there with your own wonderful backyard!

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  35. Exquisite solstice post. No enjoyment lost by coming to it halfway to the Equinox already. 🙂 That lighting on the mountain is perhaps my favorite, and it’s such a treat when we get to witness it. I also love when it turns vibrant pink from peaks to foothills.

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