Snowcoat 3 (Genesis 1:11,12)

I remember the years of plentiful berries. The tundra, the special spots where the berries were a little bigger. There were a few fun things to observe, such as pockets of buried berries, where the little shrew or lemming reached the booty before you did! The cranberry is such a deep Christmas-red! Picking these berries was even more fun due to the color. Some people tried a berry-picker. I didn't enjoy doing so, for the vines were disturbed and more work would be needed to clean the container of berries. We would place a gallon container in our back-pack, then pick into a smaller container, and dump into the bigger one until it was full. Of course we would take a lunch-break enjoying smoked salmon strip or a salmon sandwich (with home-made bread or pilot bread .) And if that doesn't sound good to you, a PBJ sandwish tastes good, too. There was a time we could drink water from a creek or spring. But today, one must be aware of giardia or beaver fever. And it may be best to include a bottle of water from home. We didn't know of any bottled water such as they have in stores today. And if we could have known, we surely wouldn't think of purchasing water.

A friend or neighbor was with us most of our berry-picking time. Our neighbor always told us to keep the head up. Look around. There were several reasons for that. It was easier to keep one's eye on the berries, and pick as fast as you can. Besides, if she looked around, we wouldn't have to. And her dog would bark should a bear get in the way...maybe... Or would he tuck the tail between his legs and head for home. I have to believe he would have stood his ground in a grand effort to protect his owner. Regardless, we learned to be aware of our surroundings, and the beautiful creation we were privileged to enjoy.

Every kind of berry, edible or non-edible, has its own detailed design and purpose. We learned to recognize the similarities and differences not only in berries, but in tree, plant, fish and animal.
One thing is certain:

God made everything "after its kind." Genesis 1:11,12.

SnowCoat 2

Due to a moderate snowfall this winter, we look forward to the berries and the flowers. The wild high-bush cranberries should do well, though we prefer and enjoy the low-bush cranberry--also called the lingonberry. We depended on this beautiful red berry for our winter supply of vitamin C. More than that, we enjoyed it for sauce--eating it with the wild moose or caribou meat. Now that we live in the urban area, the low-bush cranberry is hard to find. On occasion, God has sent the berry through friends. We still have a couple jars of canned low-bush cranberry on our pantry shelf--saving it for special occasion. Perhaps we can drive out of town someday in August, and find some cranberry! They are best after the frost, for then the very tart berry is sweeter. They are also fun to pick. You can pick them one by one, or just rake them off of the low vine into your hand!

"Thanks, Lord, for sending the blanket of winter snow, so we can enjoy the small low-bush cranberry."

Why SnowCoat

I remember the thrill of first snowfall. Huge flakes falling from the sky. Someone explains: "There are no two snowflakes alike." How can that be when there are so many? Each snowflake has a design of its own. Each has a beauty all its own. The snow continues until the ground, the trees, the pathway, the flowers... Each wears its own coat of snow. Everything looks clean, white and beautiful.

Time and again, an added cover blankets all. God has blessed us.

Scripture: "Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow?" Job 38:22.