Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

I, like most of Iowa’s residents, am ready for spring. The glimpses of 70 degree weather and sunshine that we have gotten in the last month have done it for me. I am ready to turn my back on winter and march forward toward the color green, the smell of rain, and new life. Alas, winter has returned to let us all know that she is not giving up easy and is going to reign over her kingdom at least until her season is officially over.

I was perfectly content sitting on my couch this afternoon, reading the new book I started (one that I fell in love with after just reading the inside cover…because this⬇). 

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
I'm 46 pages in and can already tell it is going to be great!

P.S. Thanks to all my friends who raved about this book!
It's thanks to you and interlibrary loans that I am enjoying it now!

I could easily have continued wallowing in my spring fever under the blanket on my sofa, but then I looked outside and the snow was falling so peacefully. The wind of an hour before seemed to have vanished. There have been tons of memes and jokes about Iowa's bipolar weather, etc., and I have contributed with at least one of my own Facebook statuses, but it is Iowa. I am proud to call myself an Iowan and the unknown always brings an adventure! Hey, it could be the last snow of the season (unlikely, but you never know!). In a couple of months when it’s 90+ degrees and humid I will long for these cooler temperatures…might as well enjoy it while it is here. So, bundled up I did and out the door I trudged! 

Sometimes one simple thing makes something ordinary seem extraordinary. When I walk through the snow, something seems to happen. My perspective narrows in on little things. With the world so covered in white upon white, maybe the colors pop out more. Or the tall statues, bikes, etc. are more vivid. Whatever it is, I was reminded how wonderful the (mostly) ordinary can be with just a tiny change. Or maybe this snow that has now blanketed EVERYTHING is not viewed as tiny by most. However, I couldn’t not take some pictures and marvel in the beauty that surrounds us. They may seem like ordinary pictures of nothing too interesting, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

And you never know what tomorrow will bring, so why not make the best you can out of today. Looking toward the weather (whatever it may be) with a hopeful lens makes for better days and better memories! Walks also inspire me (if I could have something to record my brain when I'm on walks, I would have some great material...) and today I was inspired to blog again. So here's to inspiration, hope, and winter (even if it never leaves) beauty! 

This last one is obviously not from the same time as the others.
This was the view out my window tonight and I couldn't just look at it;
I needed to capture the peacefulness!