The snow-coated landscape looked eerily apocalyptic with wind whistling as we both trudged through knee-deep white powder. We’d occasionally catch swaying tree branches from the corner of our eyes. Like apparitions.
Cars so buried we could make out only their outlines. Like a gift-wrapped basketball.
Not a soul in sight. This normally busy subdivision lined with kids walking home from school, cars playing rock-paper-scissors in the intersection, and other random acts of living…was finally silent.
In a creepy hair-raising way…
Our trek ended at the local Giant grocery store. An attendant paused. Watched us, the only customers they’d had most of the evening, casually walk up.
The shelves looked barren
“People lose their minds,” another attendant checking us out chimed in as we made him aware of the barren shelves. “And we just re-stocked! You should have seen them yesterday”, he continues in a heavy Caribbean accent. “Grabbing bread and milk like the end of the world.”
So began our North American Blizzard of 2009 experience…complete with its freshly minted Wikipedia page. A trek to the grocery store to stock up for one day was needed because our flight out of the US had been canceled that night.
Gratefully, we did make it out and up north to Swedish Lapland just in time for God Jul, much heavier snow, mucus-freezing weather, mulled wine called glögg and Jultomten – the Christmas Gnome or Santa Claus.
With so many travel plans canceled and hearts broken over this holiday season, the key emotion I’m feeling at the moment is pure, unadulterated gratitude to be able to spend it with family…old and new.
Here are just a few photographs from 200+ shots.
First time in a long time I’ve enjoyed a tree with extended family. My artificial fircus tree with lights permanently intertwined in it all year round was finally retired.
Jultomten makes an appearance. I observe.
My very first Christmas Smörgåsbord
The extended family-owned cat that reinforced my preference for dogs.
The town of Luleå gets into the festive spirit.
While everywhere else in Northern Sweden looked like this.
@Heather – You should totally set one up!
Beautiful photos! Makes we want to set up a smorgasbord for our family Christmas.
@Everyone – Thanks so much for your wonderful words and Happy New Year!
@IQBAL SELVAN – I’ll definitely check out your photoblog!
@Gloria – The colors on your blog are vividly wonderful. They incite a lot of elation.
@Charlotte – Your photos from Edinburgh are lovely! Really like the Pentland ponies
Fantastic pictures, as always 🙂
Great pics !!
Hi there
I loved the blog, and especially liked the beautiful snowy pictures.
If you’d like to see some snowy winter scenes from Edinburgh, Scotland take a look at http://edinburghselfcatering.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/winter-walking-in-the-pentlands/
great pics – fun to see Sweden
great photos. I love the last one of the cabin surrounded by white. The perfect winter image.
Love the first shot best. You can hear the silence.
Absolutely gorgeous pictures. As for the cat, I couldn’t agree more. And I have one.
Wow. Gorgeous photos. I guess there is an upside to the blizzard after all. Thank you for this post.
so beautiful..
great pic!
lovely shots! I liked the cat’s slightly crazed look. 🙂 The bread on the buffet looked VERY scrumptious. So serene, the Swedish countryside. Felt like one could just step into your photographs, ‘specially the first one. Gloris
http://www.gloriadelia.wordpress.com
This is one of the biggest why i love photography. great blog entry.
Reminds me so much of home – the Swedish Colony area of Northern Maine!
These are very beautiful photo’s. I don’t know which one I like the most. I love the snow one. I love how you shot it. I do like the Santa on the floor with the child and so like the way the food one is blurred in the background. Good job.
Awesome snow photos, I love the fuzzy cat too,…
all quality!
Very beautiful photos
specially the first and the last one
Christmas should be white like this, but brrr so cold..
so gorgeous and festive! i really wish we had a white Christmas here, too. I’m always envious of other people’s pictures of the holidays. Makes me feel like I didn’t do enough.
Awesome dude… I love those snow pics…. Keep up your good work ….
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see my blog @ http://wp.me/KkRf
These are beautiful definitely captures the Swedish feel of the season!
svenskaanna said this on December 29, 2009 at 4:18 am | Reply
These are beautiful… definitely captures the Swedish feel of the season!
Funny- I totally expected your opening to be about Sweden!
Brilliant pics. I gasped especially when looking at the first and last – but every photo in-between is brilliant – and the words didn’t hurt either 😉
Happy New Year to you
Stunning photos. I’m glad you had a nice holiday with your family.
That sunset is stunning! The rest of the snow pix look like Chicago. I’ve enjoyed many a simmering cup of glogg during our winters. Gla you made your trip!
such skilled photos.
especially the one of food, where both the background and the foreground are blurring. stunning.
it looks like quite an experience 😉