Frost


After a mild autumn we finally have winter - just too late for Christmas, but welcome all the same.  Frost patterns are one of the things I would miss if I lived somewhere it was warm all year round, and two days ago we had an abundance of them.  The shot above is our east-facing bedroom window (in Moray, that is - we are here for Christmas), and below is the west-facing window.  Broad blades of pattern to the east, and thinner, snaking fronds to the west.  I wish I knew why they were different.
 


The whole geometry of frost was evident all day long.  Here are triangles and starbursts captured on a walk by the river.
 



A different pattern now - the prints of hopeful birds around the back door.  My father is now too frail to feed the birds as he used to, and it's hard for us to resist putting out some seeds for them when we're here, even though we know you should only feed them in winter when you can do it regularly. 


The snowy Spey valley, looking south to Craigellachie.  This is the view from my father's living room window.  We fear that one day houses may be built in the adjoining field.  I try not to think about it, and to enjoy the view while we have it.


But I also love the view to the west, towards the village.  I take these ordinary Scottish houses for granted, and forget that they might be exotic to readers from other countries.
 

Usually by the time we arrive for Christmas the holly tree has been stripped of berries, but this year the birds have still been finding other food.
 


Out of the garden now and to a narrow glen behind the village.  This is a wild sloe, capped with snow where earlier in the year there was blossom.  


Who needs garish artificial Christmas lights when the natural ones are so much more beautiful?
 


Hoar frost whitens the gravestones of the young Canadian foresters who died here during WW1.  As every year, each grave has its Christmas posy of holly and lenten roses.
 

Comments

  1. The patterns in the frost are especially lovely.

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    1. It's amazing to think they're unique each time there's a frost.

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  2. Beautiful photos Linda. I don't think I have ever seen frost patterns on windows, they are just beautiful!

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    1. They were a regular feature of my childhood, as no-one had double glazing at that time. My children find this hard to believe!

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  3. Lovely frost and snow pictures! I couldn't bear to live someplace that didn't have ice and snow during winter.

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    1. I can't imagine you being happy without ice and snow, Linda!

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  4. You captured the frost quite well.

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    1. Thank you, Michelle. It was very tricky to reproduce what my eye could see.

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  5. The frost patterns are beautiful; lovely shots. The graves look very well-maintained.

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    1. Bethany, the graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which looks after graves of Commonwealth service men and women across the world.

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  6. These are lovely Linda!
    I love iceflowers and the christmas ornaments
    are just beautiful - I envy you :)
    Please tell your dad to put up a birdfeeder in
    front of a window, so he can reach it from inside
    to fill it up. That way both should be happy
    - the birds and your dad :)) And he doesn't
    have to break a leg to do that :)
    And he can sit and watch the birds without
    getting cold hands and feet :))
    【ツ】Knipsa

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    1. That is a lovely thought, but sadly he is unable to do that now. Still, he enjoys watching nature programmes on TV.

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  7. Beautiful shots, Linda! We have all double-glazed windows now so only see frost patterns on the front door when it gets really cold and I miss seeing the beauty they form! It has been warm here so no ice anywhere, not that I am complaining. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your dad!

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    1. The patterns in these shots were on the outside of double glazed windows, so I guess it was pretty cold. It had rained during the evening and then the frost came overnight, so there must have been plenty of moisture to work with.
      So you're a Canadian who doesn't like the cold?! Snow is fine, but a lot of ice is troublesome, I can see that.

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  8. So SO beautiful!!
    We do not have frosts here.....at least not that I know of!
    Linda, I think I have lost your address. Would you mind sending it to me by email? Mine is on the sidebar of my blog. I think of you so often......

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    1. I imagine that would make the news Linda, if you had frost in Texas!
      Will email you with my address.

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  9. So beautiful - I would certainly miss snow and frost if I lived in a warmer climate. We're supposed to go to -16 °F (-27 °C) this week!

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    1. Now that is cold! Hope you get some good pictures.

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  10. Brought back memories of winter mornings in the Nebraska farmhouse where I grew up. Thx.

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    1. I think Nebraska has severe winters, am I right? That must have been hard work on the farm.

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  11. All of your photos are so great. We had an early winter then there was a pleasant break. Now we are back at it with single digits tonight, F. and that is so cold. Light snow all day today. Take care and have a happy new year.

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    1. Sorry you're back to winter, Larry. Not too long until spring, hopefully!

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