1/13/13

Macro Frosty

When I got up this morning, it was 22°F., making for a frosty world.


Everything was coated with a spiky crust.


There was no wind last night, and yet, frost formed in these little directional spikes.


What makes it do that, I wonder.


Well, you know me.  When I wonder about something, I type a question into Google:  "Why is frost spiky?" And, just let me tell you:  I ♥ the internet.  Apparently, there are different kinds of frost and this kind is called Hoar Frost.  Here's what it says on Clouds R Us.com:

Hoar frost occurs when water vapour touches a very cold surface and freezes on it instantly. This can happen to the leaves and branches of plants, and will cover them with ice crystals that look like spiky fingers.
It can also occur on other freezing surfaces such as soil and metal, and so can often be seen on cars. Hoar frost can occur at higher temperatures than rime frost – usually when the air temperature is around 0°C (32°F). However, the ground is usually much colder, and the air must be moist for the ice crystals to form.
Just leave it to me to cloud your brain with useless information.

Check it out.  Oh, and I just happen to know...this kind of frost is called "Hoar Frost".  (Polishes fingernails on shirt, indicating that she is an expert on so many things.)




It makes for an enchanting crystalline world.


“Frost is the greatest artist in our clime - He paints in nature and describes in rime”

~~~Thomas Hood~~~





Here's how it looks when it forms on the vegetable garden fence...or that thing I laughingly call my vegetable garden, even though it only produces weeds.




Not much activity at the bird feeders today.  My fingers were turning to popsicles at this point, and so I'm guessing any birdies out and about would need to be dressed in little birdie snowsuits.





And guess who I found outside sitting directly on top of a gopher mound?  He paused from his hunting long enough to say, "Hey, don't blow my cover, Man."  

Wouldn't you think his fuzzy little butt would get cold? 


As my dear father-in-law used to say:

 "Where there ain't no sense, there ain't no feeling."

~~~H. A. "Al" Stanbro aka "Old Dad"~~~

I'll be linking this post to Macro Monday.


50 comments:

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

That is very interesting Barb!!! I had no idea about this at all. What beautiful pictures you took on your very chilly morning.

Lyndsey said...

Barbara your photos are magnificent. I've seen hoar frosts here in England and it really does make everything so beautiful. I hope Smitty didn't get too cold.

Jocelyn said...

It's almost like he is saying -
"Cold? What cold?"

Jeanie said...

Whatever you call it, it's breath takingly beautiful! Thanks for the great pictures!

Anonymous said...

We seem to achieve such frost "sculptures" around here, also, Our humidity seems to get quite high at this elevation (600 feet above our town on a narrow ridge....often in low clouds/fog). Gorgeous photos and not 'useless' info at all!! Hugs, D

Lynne said...

Beautiful photos but oh. so. cold! We have experienced a few days of temperature 95*+ so it's pleasant to have a cool change where it''s only about 75*! And my dad used to say, "no brain, no pain!"

evelyn said...

Love all your photos. Wish our snow hadn't melted. I think Smitty is sitting with his loooong tail all curled up as a bum warmer-LOL

Mara said...

I love your hoar frost pictures, just breathtaking.

Lee said...

Wow, stunning photos. Love the look of hoar frost.

Podunk Pretties said...

I learn something new everyday ! Thanks for sharing your pictures and finding out why so I didn't have to google it myself.

Lynette said...

ok, you font of information, you! I had to go and look up just exactly what the difference is between hoar frost and rime frost. Fortunately, another blogger addressed that right here: http://riverlark.blogspot.com/2009/01/hoar-frost-vs-rime-frost.html

Your veggie fence looks seriously cool!

Cathy Tomm said...

Great photos. We get hoar frost here lots, Alberta, Canada. We have lots of snow and I see you do not, kind of wondering were you are? I love getting out and getting the photos. We often get the best hoar frost on a very clear night and the sun rises and it is gone quick. We have some Auzzy friends coming next month to see a Canadian winter, we sure hope we have hoar frost for them.

Sheila said...

Great images Barbara. Smitty's eyes are so green! Thanks for sharing.

Dora, the Quilter said...

Absolutely beautiful, Barbara. It hit -2 F. here in the desert this morning--but with almost no moisture in the air, we had only a tiny bit of frost on the car windows. (Nice scraping, but not nearly so beautiful as yours!)

Patricia said...

I've been running the ceiling fan this weekend and the daffodils are starting to bloom in the yard. How's that for contrast?

rubyslipperz1052 said...

What a beautiful "walk" thru the Ice Forest...I was thinking maybe an Ice Princess could be hinding somewhere out of sight?? =)

hugZ,
annie

WoolenSails said...

Those are beautiful photos, love the macros.

Debbie

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

Thanks for the graphic lesson on hoar frost. I had heard the term all my life but do not remember knowing or seeing what it is!

Junebug613 said...

Really enchanting!! Thanks for the education on the frost. The internet is truly amazing!

Happy Turtle said...

Gosh! That is soooo beautiful! Thank you for sharing. I've never seen anything like it!
Carol

Steffi´s Candy Quilts said...

How beautiful these pictures are! Thank you for sharing. They made my monday morning.

Cath said...

gorgeous photos.....I just love the detail on the close-ups.
Cath @ Bits 'n Bobs

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

I hate frost but you can't deny that it's beautiful! Smitty's eyes are so green!

Katrin Klink said...

Absolutely beautiful!

SeaThreePeeO said...

Gorgeous frosty pictures.

Herding Cats

Anonymous said...

Awesome pictures! I live in a hot and humid climate and could only enjoy the cool and chilly weather during my holidays abroad. I love anything snowy. Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures.

Usha
usharaneem@yahoo.com

kc said...

Thanks for sharing beautiful pictures of a spectacular phenom! And for explaining just what a hoar frost was - I'd always wondered. (apparently not enough to look it up tho)

I'm guessing that the thrill of the hunt was keepin' ole Fuzzy-butt warm - either that, or the prospect of presenting you another prize!

Dana Gaffney said...

Those pictures are perfect and beautiful. I love learning things like that, I'm always googling weird things, thanks for saving me the time.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

These photos are spectacular! And I laughed my coffee thru my nose at the 'butt' joke!

Rachel said...

I had NO idea there were actually different kinds of frosts, good to know! SOME things are more important than a cold butt and apparently a gopher mound is one of them, LOL.

Snoodles said...

Just spectacular, Barbara! Love seeing your photos - thank you for risking turning into a popsicle, to share these with us! :)

Kateri said...

There is nothing quite like a silver frosted world! I grew up in upstate NY where hoar frost was a common occurance in the winter. I don't see it so often where I now live.

Barb Neiwert said...

Absolutely stunning photography! Where I live, I think it's way too cold for frost. We're at -10 and up in the mountains a ways, it's -27. Too dang cold!

Teresa in Music City said...

Ahhhhh, thanks for sharing your winter wonderland with those of us less privileged! Gorgeous pictures. And I loved the visual of little birdies flying around in their little snowsuits :*)

Unknown said...

What a wonderful occurance!
Everthing looks so beauteous!
Kisses
Nellie

Kerri Farley said...

How Lovely!!

Anonymous said...

Stunningly beautiful!

TheChieftess said...

Hahaha!!! You gave me my first laugh of the morning!!! I just learned about Hoar frost a week or so ago, from blogger Linda Pierson at Just Another Day on the Prairie! I've seen it in photos, never seen it up close and personal, and am absolutely fascinated by it!!! I live in the Eastern Sierras of California at 8000 feet where we get a lot of snow but not much frost. Although I've been told there are spots where you can see it up here!!! I think this is a new quest for me!!! Thanks for sharing your info and beautiful pics!!! That darned Hoar Frost really makes for some gorgeous photos!!!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!

Bettey said...

Gorgeous photos! Great details!

Catherine said...

Wow, that is beautiful! I never knew why frost was spiky, now I do!

Igelkotten Milli said...

Amazing beauty and wonderful photos!
Congrats from Bulgaria!

Kate Brown said...

Fabulous photos!!!!

LethargicLass said...

your hoar photos are absolutely incredible! (and yes, that is one phrase I never thought I would use)

Kate said...

Gorgeous photos! I hope your fingers have unfrozen. We had a high of 29 F on Sunday, so I can relate!

Anonymous said...

I love trivia! Thank you so much for the gorgeous pictures and the explanation of hoar frost. I've heard of it all my life but never knew it was different from other frost. Your dad's saying made me laugh.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful captures! I always love the way the hoar frost looks.

Denise :) said...

Hoar Frost makes for fabulous pictures, I can tell you that!! Love the saying .. and definitely appropriate, right?! :)

Sarah said...

Beautiful pictures Barb! The frost is magnificent. We occasionally get a frost where I live in Australia, but nothing this spectacular.

quiltzyx said...

I love those hoary pics! It's been pretty cold for us in SoCal this past week, but not that cold...except my cousin & her hubby were golfing near Palm Springs over the weekend & there was frost on the greens!
I think that Smitty would definitely have a frosty bum sitting out there. Brrrrr!