1/17/13

Persistent Frost

Just last night Mike was telling me that the weather was supposed to warm up, and that he was tired of being cold.  He was pretty disappointed when we awakened to temperatures in the twenties again this morning.


As for me, I don't mind the cold weather so much, especially when I look outside and see how beautiful it is.

Yesterday, the temperatures warmed up some and most of the frost melted.  When I stuck my head outside (only my head), I could hear it dripping.  It was surprising to see this again this morning.


If you look at the images from my previous frost posting, you'll notice that this frost looks quite different from the hoar frost of the other day.  I believe this is the kind of frost known as rime frost.


The Clouds R Us website says:
Rime is ice formed when a damp, icy wind blows over flowers, branches and other surfaces. Rime frost looks like icing around the edge of petals and leaves, and only occurs when the temperatures are very low.
Doesn't that describe what you see in this image?


It's really quite beautiful and interesting.




Here's our little birdie skating rink.  No birdies wearing ice skates, however.




Smitty was so excited that someone finally came outside that he was flying around the yard at supersonic speeds.


Here's a frosty window,


and a frosty spider web.


No sign of the spider.  She has better sense than to come out on such a cold day.

I love it when it gets very cold and the sun comes out.





 It's hazy in the valley.  We are above the clouds.  You can just see the tips of the mountains in this next image.  Sometimes the fog makes its way up the hill and envelopes us as well.


 Best to enjoy seeing the sun while I have the chance.

Updated to say that I'll be linking this post to Macro Monday.



31 comments:

Rachel said...

Thanks for the frost lesson. Glad someone else looks this stuff up! Smitty is cracking me up...Looks like he is gonna "get" that frost...LOL

Dogwood Lane Rambles said...

I can just imagine those birdies in ice skates on their miniature ice rink. It's been so cold here on Dogwood Lane as well, every morning in the low twentys to teens. I have to break the ice on the dog water and make sure that the chickens have water they can drink. Brrrrrr!

Quilting Babcia said...

Great pics. Glad to know there is still sunshine somewhere. At half your altitude all we have is this terrible fog/smog/inversion layer and the air smells of smoke. But the night's frost on the roof is starting to drip away so it may be worth venturing out later, or not.

Teresa in Music City said...

Gorgeous pictures Barbara! I have to admit that I've never really looked at frost to see what kind it is. You've opened up a whole new world for me :*D

Lynette said...

Wow! I really love that one shot of the flat leaves frosted around their edges that way.

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

Great photos! My favorite is the one of the pine needles right above Smitty the Adventure Cat. He looks ready to leap!

Mrs.Pickles said...

lovely pictures!

works4me said...

Great shots.

Boy, Smitty is really growing.

WoolenSails said...

I love your snow photos and that is a fun one of smitty.

Debbie

gpc said...

What beautiful photos. I do NOT like to be cold, but I sure love the way frost and snow look!

Deb said...

That is so pretty. We don't get snow where I live, so it is a real novelty. I am not a fan of cold though, so don't think I could live somewhere that gets really cold. Give me the sun any day!

Lynne said...

Brrrrr! it is very pretty but I'm glad it doesn't get that cold here. Today we are expecting 109° (and the pest control man is coming this afternoon - better him than me!)

Cassandra said...

The frost photos are gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing all of them!

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

Your frost looks like the ice storms we get here. It will coat the branches and plants on the side it is falling from, usually the north and west. Then the sun will start to melt it and it will refreeze over night and look similar to what you have.

Smitty was having fun running op the tree!

Holli said...

Those are some stunning frost pictures, these today and the ones with the hoar frost the other day. Thank you for sharing them, along with the info about the different types of frost - love learning new stuff!

Rina Mason said...

It's amazing how beautiful nature can make even the cold days. We haven't really had any winter here in Missouri so your pictures are helping fill the gap.
Smitty looks like he's having a ball being out in the nippy air. I imagine he came inside and ran around like a demented little devil with all that fresh air in his lungs. I know Cricket (Miss Pissyfur) does that when she gets to spend time in a little cold air.

Vivian said...

I thoroughly enjoyed your frost pictures. I had to go back and look at your other post also. Just beautiful. If I didn't have to worry about getting out in the snow and ice, it wouldn't bother me either. I love to just sit and look out the window when we have snow.

Junebug613 said...

So pretty!! It has been rainy and cool here today. Too cool for my comfort, but I like looking at your gorgeous photos!

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Barbara, that's a lovely group of photos; thank you for sharing. Frost is neat stuff with properties I had not heretofore imagined. You have given me something to think about. I love seeing the mountaintops across the valley above the clouds-exhilarating to me, love it.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Smitty has big eyes in that tree- something must be pretty interesting. Our cats, the outside ones, don't seem to mind the snow but the ones that stayed indoors really hated getting their paws cold.

Ruth Ann said...

Smitty has such a great life. My kitties are content but we live in town and I don't let them out due to traffic and I don't want them visiting other liter boxes - I mean flower beds. LOL
Wish mine could climb trees,but they content themselves with jumping up onto the 7foot tall bookshelves from the tv table and the cabinet tops from the top of the fridge!

Anonymous said...

I love your ice pictures. Those are even more exciting than others I saw. You have taken remarkable pictures. Love the dolls, too.

quiltzyx said...

Ahhh! More amazing frosts.
I much prefer the cold to the heat. I figure that you can always put more clothes/quilts on when it's cold out, but you can take off all of your clothes & still sweat. Yuck!

Kate said...

Gorgeous photos. Such a great way to find the "good" in all the cold. It's been so dry here the only frost we get is on the car windows!

Florence said...

Nice pictures ! Thanks to share !

From The Heart said...

I did not realize that frost could be so lovely! great pictures.

Andrea said...

Those are very awesome photos, most especially to us who don't experience them. The frosts are so spectacular that they all have the direction where the wind blows!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! Nature's art at it's best.

Bettey said...

So pretty! Great colors and details!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful frosty decorations. I like your squirrelly cat!

Beetlebirdhare said...

Hi, just found your blog - what beautiful frost photos : )
Sian