It came a few nights ago. We had been expecting it for some time now. The first hard frost of the season. Putting on long underwear and heavy coat, and pulling on thick woolen socks to wear under heavy boots, I was prepared.
Bright morning sun glinted with a million diamonds shining in the grass as I went down to the southeast corner to see this wonderful sight.
Frost flowers, rabbit butter, various names for the same thing. I had scouted out the area in the weeks before the hard frost. I saw where the frost weed grew in abundance with thick stems and space around them. It had rained a few days before and I knew what would happen when the temperature fell below freezing.
It is hard to capture such lovely, delicate works of nature. The frozen sap curls out from the broken stems in fantastic shapes. It is so very fragile that you are almost afraid to step near it lest you shatter it into a thousand pieces.
Early morning sees the best examples of this art by Nature. The sun soon warms the ground and leaves around the frozen beauty and it doesn't last long.
I never tire of looking at frost flowers. No two are alike. Some are tall and thin. Others squat and fat. But all are a miracle.
It is truly amazing what Nature can do with a little cold snap and weeds that burst to form an exquisite sculpture that no man could ever make.
i have never seen these before, except in your photos. they are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThey are. I never saw them until I moved to Missouri.
ReplyDeleteSaw my first today! They're amazing!
ReplyDelete