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"~~~
