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There are many trees in the Glade. In Spring and Summer they are lovely shades of green. During Autumn they are brilliant yellow, golds and reds. Winter occasionally clothes them in white.

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In winter on the Plateau there are no leaves on the trees, no flowers, and what grass there is is often brown. Fortunately we often have this beautiful blue sky to add color to our days.

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I really don't appreciate cold weather, and it's cold when pine needles collect snow and ice. But even I will admit that pine needles can look pretty when decorated this way.

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Although this picture was taken several years ago when we lived in Hendersonville, Tennessee, I think it is a wonderful winter scene with the icy trees and blue skies. I also like the sun peeking around the branches of the tree.

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This picture was taken in December, 2009, but it seems to be appropriate for the weather we've been having. During warm weather it's possible to walk behind Dry Falls in North Carolina. But with all the ice when we visited the walk behind the falls was closed. I think that was a good idea.

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My Bride likes a fire in the fireplace in winter, and I must admit that a fire helps keep the house warm. This truckload of wood was dumped in our yard in September, and I got warm stacking it. I can also keep warm by splitting some of the larger pieces.

This is actually the wood we'll use next year. We try to stay a year ahead so the wood will dry completely and burn well.

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We had a very cold and snowy Christmas weekend here in the Glade. This picture of ice-coated trees in our yard was taken last year, but I needed the reminder that even wintry weather can be beautiful.

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It's been unusually hot here on the Plateau for the past couple of weeks. I was hoping a winter picture of our house would make me feel cooler, but I'm not sure it's working.

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Sometimes winters do get cold down here in Dixie. As proof I offer this picture, taken last December, at Dry Falls in North Carolina. It is normally possible to walk behind this waterfall, but the trail was closed. Looking at all that ice I can understand why.

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We've had such cool dreary weather for the past few days that thoughts of Spring have just about left us. This picture of ice-covered tree branches was taken at Looking Glass Falls in North Carolina last December. It seems to fit the weather of the past few days very well.

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I had hoped that we were through with snow and ice for the year, but on Tuesday Betsy and I went over the mountains at Newfound Gap in the Smokies and saw a foot or more of snow still on the ground.

That experience reminded me of a visit to Dry Falls in North Carolina that we made in December 2009. There was obviously plenty of ice around that day.

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Winter is a wonderful time to go waterfalling. The rains of autumn usually do a good job of renewing the water flow and it's easier to find waterfalls that require bushwhacking when the leaves are off the trees. This picture of me with my favorite hiking partner was taken at a waterfall near Brevard, North Carolina, this past December. (I carry a small tripod in my backpack). This particular waterfall was near the trail and the rails on a bridge over the creek provided us with a place to rest and get this picture.

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I had to go back to the last day of January to get a picture of blue skies here in the Glade, but our house looks so good in this wintry setting that I just couldn't resist sharing it with you.

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We're supposed to get some snow Friday night and more on Sunday night. I'm hoping to whisk Betsy away for a Mystery Trip between storms to celebrate Valentine Day. I'm also hoping that we can get back home without any problems. I can't tell you where we are going since Betsy reads this, but the chances that the trip includes waterfalls are pretty good! We hope to be back sometime Monday evening.

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Bridal Veil Falls is a popular waterfall near Highlands, North Carolina. Under ordinary circumstances it's possible to drive behind the waterfall, but when Betsy and I were there in December the road was blocked because of all the ice around and under the falls.

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We had our snow and ice storm here on the Plateau on January 29 and 30. Sunday, January 31, was a beautiful day with a clear, bright blue sky. That's when I got this picture of these icy branches against the blue sky.

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This picture was taken Saturday after most of the storm had passed. It shows some of the trees from the vacant lot below our house with their branches weighed down by the snow and ice. The day was dull and gray, but the trees were something for us southerners to behold.

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When Betsy and I visited Mount Nebo in Arkansas in March, 2009, we got caught in an ice storm. Fortunately we had plenty of firewood at the cabin and could enjoy the day. I did venture out to get some pictures of the ice-covered shrubs and trees. This is one of those pictures.

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This picture was taken almost exactly a year ago. Mirror Lake is one of the lakes here in the Glade. This year it's frozen over and the fountain has been turned off. Last year the fountain was running since the lake had only a partial covering of thin ice.

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When we were at Mount Nebo in Arkansas in March of last year we experienced an ice storm. We haven't had any precipitation this week here in the Glade, but our cold weather reminded me of these icicles that formed outside the window of our cabin in Arkansas.

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Although this picture was taken exactly a year ago, it gives a pretty good indication of our weather those far in this new year. Now that the holidays are over, I'm ready for Spring!