Winter Dreams

Jan 17, 2024

By Christian Begeman

When winter descends upon the Northern Plains, slumber seems to come easy. The busy-ness of life that abounded in the warmer seasons has either fled south or is hibernating under a blanket of frost and snow. Likewise, for me the temptation to rest under the warmth of a blanket while old man winter toils out of doors is strong. The short daylight and frigid temperatures don’t really offer much incentive for activity, either. Even so, we hardy Dakotans trudge on. Farmers and ranchers continue to care for livestock. Town folks keep the business doors open, the mail going and schools running. Not to mention attending the basketball games and wrestling matches as best we can.

Occasionally, with the right weather conditions, the season of sleep and slumber can provide dreamlike scenes of immense beauty. These winter dreams are something a part-time photographer like me pursues as much as possible. A foggy night can produce frosted landscapes straight from a fairy tale. Frigid cold and wind coupled with an open sky conjure sun dogs that are as breathtaking as the wind biting into your bones.

In this column, I have collected photos from three such days this winter. They are photos of frost and light, or winter dreams, if you will. Starting on December 23, as I began my journey to north central South Dakota for the holidays, I strayed from the main highways after a heavy fog to capture Jack Frost’s handiwork. New Year’s Day dawned frosty and since I had the day off, I took advantage. Finally, January 3 was foggy west of town, so I took another trip to see what I could find.

I won’t try to convince anyone that winter in these parts is always beautiful. Nor is it a particularly easy time of year. But there is beauty to be found and experienced. Seeking out these winter dreams does more than just get off the couch. They are a reminder that even though this season of slumber is strong, it won’t be long until the winter breaks and all will awaken once again. The perfect June evening is made that much more perfect because we have experienced these winter days and nights. And I haven’t seen a fly or mosquito for months. Which is kind of nice.

Christian Begeman grew up in Isabel and now lives in Sioux Falls. When he's not working at Midco he is often on the road photographing South Dakota’s prettiest spots. Follow Begeman on his blog.