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White Christmas at Bridgeport, Nebraska |
After a long spell of unseasonably warm weather, an unexpected snowstorm slammed into Bridgeport with a vengeance. Western Nebraska was transformed into a winter landscape of dark woodlands set against the white sandhills.
During an expedition to document the blizzard’s dramatic effects, I was guided by a pack of friendly farm dogs. An Australian Shepherd and two Schnorgies plowed through eight inches of snow, blazing a trail along the banks of a winding, black creek.
I followed them closely but I missed the shot when they flushed a flock of migrating mallards. Further on as we approached a particularly fine looking tree, a great-horned owl took flight and flapped quietly across the frozen prairie.
Throughout the day, bitterly cold temperatures continued to drop and a band of heavy snow kept falling. From an overlook above the valley, the normally far-reaching views were condensed into a blur of powdered forest fused with the milky sky.
Trudging through deep drifts far from home we found ourselves right in the middle of a windy whiteout. Even in such harsh conditions, the pups were delighted to pounce and play as I struggled to keep up while crossing a dormant cornfield.
By dusk on the last day of the storm, a spectacular sunset spread a sense of relief across the land. Warm rays emanating from the horizon seemed to signify December’s end and symbolized an inspiring hope for the new year’s beginning.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdzFsSQ1OoIu8ZkH59TMzzsVPba4bSRpoSBvprIxXvInRMvbcFm7VR-XKRDJk0COSAlllose-jTO2pwiEmZ-2y0b58_UuTBOd4nC2u58m6sj2mR9w9T1Z4yNoBTRvE7siGMSGmPCD0DE/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+11+22+43+AM.jpg) |
Dark woodlands |
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Guided by an Australian Shepherd |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsa8dtVMNlt0XwMCQXm8zXVpf7X8hyphenhyphensB-QaLhyphenhyphencC0j327B3kwKZf5q_1t8FAq-OKmc-uaLcuPbMyBS_3SJ1ob4jKnPJkO5Gjm3lC49Y9QYwVV5V031yWM6dnQ8M4DUUZLqL_68q9uldU/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+3+46+25+PM.jpg) |
Plowing through snow |
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A winding, black creek |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCd2slnzHlC9hTSlWZc9yBgsIs-GGV3J-WLwF87z0Bble5Xj40XTB4_JmCdu-j1y9X45u9O53I6noT8F-lvxhkFMbycm5EuJldwk6jG1qZLsvA3rkUNQ90sNrpAvk0-pBayqhCQZiafvs/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+11+37+54+AM.jpg) |
A fine looking tree |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-_1B_C_emF050bGn8XbmHWX7SVjzZvh8iblbrRJzjnbpAQkT5N0Ig41G1l9APFk_bhYT_qu3sRWYA5ST0l4YIQ2-7jq2q23NrUmghLfpY548anx1w77K3pyU00juBkfSAyySXCMVZtk/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+3+35+28+PM.jpg) |
Bitterly cold temperatures |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPiEldBZ7T-UQxQNXD_Nr-3G715LFK7n1eV38linKMef9DlHb0jB4MkTFIBxiYNuYGmJfm5sFspjFKt2IISOyJBAZBwSkHwK8ODf9cDrWCinew_F5RN4Kigg6QCx_lHOMNob32XNEQSCw/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+11+23+51+AM.jpg) |
A blur of powdered forest |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3HZFVxbXUzWUSYRplLl_y-c7ThQykNfsWXaCVEMmAN1_7Kx5N5l_dgEfBx_Rd87iPq798KfKyVL48gx-v0TXcw95e-tWZZj1SfhquTdxCxU7nNetkkWJjEVNvhwBRdx-oZG8iC0OCAo/s400/Photo+Dec+25%252C+3+38+01+PM.jpg) |
The pups were delighted |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEICZBq5qpZ4VfDH9UQEfm2QJxvwUPzFC7aDPq25q15CGOxwXakaBNlLZ7ypkRgwHl5sBpohVtN6DocMWS_r67ZPmXnajJoK0HaEq1uMEJa78G2Fcq0p-k4H7iSThD6OUDxCCsDOqa6Q/s400/Photo+Dec+22%252C+4+18+51+PM.jpg) |
A spectacular sunset |
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