February 14

Deer cluster together where there's food

Winter is hard not only on people and things,  but also animals. God has given northern plains animals special qualities for surviving the winter, and one of those is good.  They eat a lot, and they bunch up where a lot of food is to be found.  This farm north of Wing, not far from Mercer is an example.  The whole herd is much larger than my lens could capture.  Still, in the evening sun, I waited until they moved closer to the farm to give you a perspective of  life on the northern plains for deer.

Abandoned red school house

The day’s photo journey started out with just a drive.  The landscape can be monotonous.  It’s very blue (yes, I know people think of snow as being white, but the visual environment is blue.)  So, in all that blue (and yes, white)  a red school house stands out starkly against the colors of winter.

This photo of the highway, the wind blowing snow across the pavement, the hills in the background pictures North Dakota’s winter.  Brrr.  The sun sets early,  about 5:00 p.m. which just adds to the closed-in feeling of winter. That’s why on a good traveling day like this, with a little bit of sun, it is good to get out and see the world.

On this trip, the turn-around spot was Harvey, North Dakota where patriotism and America’s military strength is honored with a place in the city park.  Here, under the last bit of sunlight, and a great amount of street light, this tank, and the flag stand as a reminder that the security of North Dakota’s winter and the 12-month lifestyle of freedom is kept only because we are willing to fight for it.