January 25, 2012

The Glitter of Hoarfrost



The most beautiful of winter phenomena is hoarfrost, which turns every twig and branch and weed into a sparkling presence. According to Wikipedia, these ice crystals are formed "on cold clear nights when heat losses into the open skies cause objects to become colder than the surrounding air." I awoke to everything outdoors aglitter on Sunday morning.




The branches of the Nannybush are brilliantly lit,




as are the tangled stems of weeds and grasses, turning them into something more than themselves, into a poetry of light, 




 and the world becomes a dazzling place.

4 comments:

  1. So beautiful.."the world becomes a dazzling place" and I was sick in bed and missed it all until your images were given to me here. The last one is especially beautiful to my eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fabulous photos. We rarely get hoarfrost here. I love to see it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It was truly wonderful to see and fun to photograph, and a pleasure to share it. Thanks Maggie and Lisa.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow - I'm jealous!

    ReplyDelete