Gratitude

This picture at the top is supposed to be down lower so you will have to read it out of order. This is another wonder that I find awesome. I don't know if you can really tell in this picture, but his is taken in the back by the last row of ministorages where the snow stays the longest. There was a lot of snow back there and when the sun came out every day for several days in a row, the snow melted away and then there was like an ice skating rink! There is nothing more beautiful that snow it is clean, it sparkles in the sun and I cannot find the words to describe the feeling you get when look out and see nothing but white. And the snow and ice in the tree branches is also awesome. And did you know that they have to haul snow away in dump trucks! Go figure.
Did you know that when you step onto what you think is ice, you can wind up in a deep puddle of water under it? There are so many awesome things about the cold and how your face it bright red when you've been out in it and you hands are red and freezing. But it is so invigorating and I actually really like it.

Today in relief society the lesson was on Pres. Monson's talk "Finding joy in the journey" There was a sister that shared how she has a hard time finding joy in March because it is still to cold to do some of the activities she likes to do when it is warm and too warm to do the other activites she likes to do when it is real cold(such as skiing) Then another sister shared how she made a promise a couple of years ago to find joy in each of the months of the year and how January was the hardest, another said she grows grass in a cup in her house so that she can see green. As I listened to them, I found myself wishing I was brave enough to share with them the awesome wonders of winter from the perspective of an Arizona native that has never lived in a true winter climate. First I was shocked that March would be a hard month because in Arizona, we all know how perfect March is. But, at the risk of sounding weird or goofy, I am going to share some of my awes of winter. Here goes:

This is one that I marvel over. You can have several feet of snow on a roof and it will start to melt and drip off the edge of the roof, but then, before it hits the ground it freezes again because the temperature is still way too cold. How awesome that something can melt and freeze all in the same few minutes! And then what a beautiful sight it makes

This whole driveway was solid snow a few days ago and when the sun comes out, no matter what the temperature is, the snow melts and there is a river in the driveway for the day, then when the sun goes down, the river freezes solid again. The next day the cycle continues. I find it awesome that ice can melt when it is still below freezing

More examples of the melt/freeze cycle. Under the truck is solid ice

This is another picture of how something can melt and freeze at the same time. You can't see it in this picture, but you can see that the ground is wet, this is a drain and as it melts from the roof, it going down the rain gutter and then freezes as it comes out of the rain gutter.