Sandhills sunset

Christmas time on the prairie and the weather conditions are brutal due to heavy snow, high winds and horrific cold. The annual winter trek to western Nebraska has been transformed into an arctic expedition.

After a week of natural destruction, the storm subsides and a breathtaking sunset seals the covenant. A cautious trudge along the frigid creek reveals the stark aftermath of such a powerful system.

The tortured landscape is a curious blend of harshness and beauty created by the unique forces from above. The low light creeping through the forest enhances the surreal atmosphere of peace and quiet.

The charcoal-colored trees form haunting silhouettes that frame the deep perspective generated by the rolling Sandhills. Spanned by delicately arched snow-bridges, the crooked waterway recedes into the distance.

The sharp stream-bank is steepened by deep drifts that slide dangerously into the frigid water. Bergs of strange shaped ice are strewn all over accenting a frozen landscape reminiscent of the far north.

Up on the hill, a lonely homestead appears out of the fading light like a ghostly apparition. It’s the only sign of civilization during this epic moment in nature when order miraculously emerges out of chaos.

In sharp contrast to the drama displayed by a solemn countryside, the inflamed sky is infused with fiery colors. The warm tones stretch across the horizon offering comfort and relief from the difficulties of the past few days.

The tumultuous storm proved to be fleeting and in its wake unveiled a bright new day. In the same fashion the past twelve months of ups and downs have concluded opening the way for a blessed new year.

A breathtaking sunset
Haunting Silhouettes
A solemn landscape
The waterway recedes
A lonely homestead
A stark aftermath
A tortured landscape
A blend of harshness and beauty
A happy new year