SOTC 292/365

This Little Light OR 132/365

What a lovely evening for some outdoor winter photography. Night time photography in the winter in Canada is a process. Clothing must be layered. Spare batteries must be kept close to the body to stay warm and functional. Fingers must be kept warm but still have enough dexterity to manipulate buttons. It could be -30C or -3C, and you won't actually know 'til you get there!

Tonight was more on the -3C side of things, for which I was very thankful.

For the first time since living in Edmonton, I drove down to the surrounding town of Devon to take in the Devonian Botanical Gardens' yearly Luminaria display. Thousands of paper lanterns line the paths of the gardens; it is absolutely beautiful.

Upon entering the gardens, I simply stood for a minute to take it all in. The trail right in front of me went forward, and then dipped, and split into multiple trails, winding around a pond, over a bridge, and up past a Japanese gazebo.

I stopped once or twice in each section of trail to take pictures, as well as at several of the campfires to keep my fingers warm along the way! I spent two hours listening to the crunching of snow under many footsteps, the voices of carolers, and Christmas-spirited buzz* of other people taking in the surroundings.

Overall, a beautiful reminder of the Light that is so much a part of this holiday season, and the peace it brings to those who gather around it in community.

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."

-- Ben Sweetland

*With the exception of the one child I heard pass by and declare, "You said there would be fun here, but there's not!"