We were treated with this beautiful sunrise reflecting off the mountains.
Three generations of Vennels bundled up for some skiing on a very cold day (-35 in town in the morning). (L to R) Grandson, Chris; Keith; my Husband, Chuck; Son, Scott
Chris at "the top of the world" almost, Crested Butte style.
Scott ready to head down on his snowboard.
Crested Butte mountain on a beautiful morning.
The lamp post were decorated and soon capped with a white crown.
The bikes were temporarily idle while the snow came down,
And the trees were burdened with the heavy snow,
Causing a lot of broken limbs in town, and therefore a lot of clean-up to be done.
Back at our house the evergreens periodically shook their branches to free themselves of the heavy burden.
Snow piled high on the bird feeder and the railings of the deck.
As the first bit of blue sky re-appeared we could see the work that lay ahead of us.
But when the sunshine finally came back out and the temperatures dropped under a clear sky, we were again presented with our winter fairyland.
This Praying Mantis in our garden had feasted well all summer and grown to a good size before winter set in. In doing so he shed his exoskeleton about 12 times.
The Monarch butterflies came through on their southern migration, stopping on the goldenrod for a snack.
Followed closely by the Buckeyes.
The forests on the mainland turned their fall colors.
And the marshes turned golden,
As the water reflected the sky.
The fall winds continued with force churning the ocean into rough waves.
The inlet was treacherous even for large boats.
The bay waters rose isolating the old clam from the land.
The sandpipers that remained huddled near the reeds by the bay to stay warm,
And the gulls reclaimed the beach by the ocean.
The old adage - "red sky in morning, sailors take warning" proved accurate.
The ocean waves built up -
Which delighted the surfers.
As the storm passed we were blessed with a lovely mauve last look at our beach.
This young man appeared to be climbing the wave as he bailed out on one wave and headed back out to catch another. 
At times waves meet and send water high into the air in beautiful spray.
The passing of Hurricane Earl far out to sea brought rough water and beach erosion.
But it also brought beautiful waves.
To capture this wave action is often a matter of patience and luck
When the backwash from the wave at low tide hits another wave coming ashore, beautiful formations are created. 
And when a breaking wave encounters a strong offshore breeze things get ever more interesting.
The beauty of the ocean never ceases to amaze me. 
How lucky I am to still live part of the year in this beautiful place of my childhood.
In the morning the tracks left by the beach cleaning crews made interesting patterns on the sand.
And the pelicans heading south for their winter home in Florida pass by the sun burning through the foggy sky.
But who can resist the beauty of a rainbow at sunset over the ocean,
Especially when it precedes the rising of a full moon.
However the birds on the beach, such as this adult Herring Gull, are always fun to watch.
This one snagged a large eel from the ocean, watched by a envious competitor.
The sandpipers, as always manage to stay just above the ocean edge and keep their feet dry.
