Tag Archives: 2012

Rosy Ruffles

Soft rains, balmy breeze, a little sunshine – weather can create a rosy outlook on life. Or for life 🙂

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This little wild rose seems to be anticipating spring’s arrival, even dressing up a little, with a rosy tint to both the stem and the festive ruffled edges of the emerging leaves. It is still guarded by those curving thorns, though!

I am also enjoying the much needed rains, followed by warm, sunny weather. Actually, as soon as this posts, I will grab my camera and head back out the door. Woo hoo!

Crossing the Line

One must stay at the edge when photographing morning frost. There is a moving line.

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Crossing the Line - February 2012

On one side of the line the frost crystals are pristine, sharp and clear. But they have no sparkle. On the other side of the line, they sparkle, flare… and melt.

Standing Alone

In early February our pasture is a wasteland. The drought, severe heat, and hungry horses reduced a formerly lush, green meadow to dry dirt. There is hope, however. A lone survivor stands amidst the brown dust.

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Survivor Photographed February 2012

It may be short – stunted even – but it has produced seeds!  May it reproduce wildly all over the pasture!

Meanwhile, I admire the sunlight glinting off its seed fluffs.

Sequined World

Glittery, shiny, glinting. Rhinestones and sequins? No, the world is gleaming with millions of frosty crystals!

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Only the early riser enjoys this glowing treasure, as the warmth of the sun’s rays almost instantly converts all those crystals to shimmering water droplets, then evaporates them.
Do today’s fashion designers realize how closely they follow the fashions of nature?

Shifty

Yes, this is the same flower as yesterday’s post. As I moved, my eye caught the flash of the sun flare through the frost crystals, so I took another image.

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Just a little shift in camera position caught this sun flare - February 2012

It is also slightly darker, showing the detail a little more clearly in the white frost.

I am always of two minds when I have several photos I like of the same subject; should I show more than one? Or should I choose one and show only the one? What do you think?

Candied?

This tiny flower appeared to have been coated in sugar crystals.

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Sweet Little Crystallized Flower - February 6, 2012

I loved the colorful spots of sunlight refracted through the ice crystals!

I also remembered why I usually go out before I am showered and dressed for work… I went back in the house with wet, muddy elbows and knees, having only just remembered not to flop down flat on my belly to get the best angle.

Frost Flower!

I always mentally referred to these icy extrusions as frost flowers, but had never read anything about them.

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aka Crystallofolia

Inspired by my friend Travis’ success just Googling the word or phrase that comes to mind, I tried typing frost flower in the search field… Guess what?  These structures are commonly referred to as –  frost flowers! They also have a scientific name, apparently: Crystallofolia. This website was particularly detailed: http://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/VEVI3/crystallofolia.html