December 6, 2015

A Magical White World




I awoke in the dark this morning. Opening the door to let the cat out, I noticed that the ground was white, but not with snow. As the day brightened, the landscape became a dazzling sight: fog's moisture had deposited icy crystals on trees and shrubs and grasses, creating rime ice. The combination of the crystalline branches with the soft fog was very beautiful. 




Grasses were outlined in white, and a tree looked like a soft cloud.




As the sun began to peek through the fog, its glow made the ice glitter.




The delicate white-coated dried ferns are wonderfully contrasted with the circular pattern of green lichen.




Looking closely at the ice, we can see its spiky crystals, changing the character of a rounded dried flower.




Even the spider silk attached to this seed head is covered with rime ice....




....and hydrangea petals have a decorative edge.




A few hours later, at 11:30 AM, the frost has melted from the ground, but remains on shrubs and tall grasses, looking like a mad mix of seasons. Winter has its trials, but only winter can us bring such unusual beauty.


7 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks, Myrna; it was fun photographing this.

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    2. Beautiful.
      It was sterling silver here this morning too.
      I always called it Hoarfrost. Here is a good description of the phenomena:
      http://cathybell.org/2013/01/02/hoar-frost-and-rime-ice-whats-the-difference/
      I wish I could drink-in the beauty without having to name it!

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    3. Thanks, and yes, I know that post about the difference between hoar frost and rime ice because I've researched it before; this is definitely rime ice. I enjoy knowing the names of things.

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    4. I learned "rime ice" today.
      So much nicer than "prose ise"

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  2. I love when the conditions are ripe for hoarfrost. It is so pretty. It doesn't happen often here but this week there were two mornings we had hoarfrost. Unfortunately I was working and had no time to take pictures. I am enjoying your pictures.

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    Replies
    1. Lisa, this was not hoarfrost, but rime ice, as I mentioned above. Their causes are different and they look different.

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