This is what my yard looks like after 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice coated everything last night. Currently the area is bracing for Round 2 of the storm and expecting another inch or so of ice, high winds and snow. Why is it that some of the most dangerous events in nature are also the most beautiful?
The heavy coating of crystal upon crystal upon crystal gave the impression of a large feathery beast huddled against the stump on the ice. Yes, it is safe to say that the frost won the day today.
As the frost cleared, I began to notice large colonies of bubbles trapped in the lake from repeated thaw-freeze cycles.
At this point the jutting crystalline structures on the surface were all but gone. I felt sure that heat had won this battle.
As I hiked in the cold, a miniature struggle was being played out at my feet. The air temperature was a brisk 26 degrees, but the cloudless sky allowed the sun to melt the light accumulation of snow into a fine mist. The invisible vapor was then refrozen, crystallizing on blades of grass. The delicate crystals glistened as I paused to photograph their beauty.
I began to notice the warmth of the sun on my back as I knelt on the ice, exploring and marveling at the world that had been created below. The dramatic jutting crystals of frost began to melt as warmth collected from the sun above. As the battle turned in favor of warmth, the surface of the frozen lake became crystal clear, revealing other-worldly scenes of air bubbles trapped in layers below the surface.
Below, a frost crystal begins to melt and re-assimilate itself into the surface of the lake.
At the sun's peak intensity, the icy lake began to crack, an explosive and hollow sound that would tremble from one end of the lake to the other. Crows cawed in alarm and the battle of heat and cold continued.
continued in next post...click here
Nine inches of snow fell last night, coating everything with a heavy layer of white death.
The Stickman bends low with his new burden. he awaits the arrival of the birds,
