When the fog lifted around noon, ice blossoms garlanded the trees glittering in the winter sun.
I knew I had a short window left before the hoar frost melted and the magic would be lost. So I set aside today’s to-do list for an hour and jumped in my car.
Row of ice-covered trees
Wind blew the ice crystals off the branches. They hit the ground crackling like hail. It was raining ice blossoms!
Still, there were plenty of ice-encrusted details to capture. Ice blossoms hugged branches, seed heads, grass stalks, and dried-up leaves equally, crowning and framing each into its winter best.
When I left the higher elevation, I encountered this view of a woodsmoke-filled valley with a few ice-covered trees remaining on an exposed hill:
Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week is about Details.
The Beauty Along the Road 
Gorgeous images! I think you made a wise decision to postpone the to do list!
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I thought so, too 🙂 The to-do list will always be there later, the hoar frost doesn’t stick around as long.
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That is so beautiful Annette. We are frying in a heat wave here in California. Probably hard to imagine for you.
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I’ll be happy to package that cold weather coming at us in the next few days and mail it to you 🙂
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Thank you Annette, I believe you. Hope all will be okay with you facing that cold weather coming to you. Stay warm and cozy those days. Maybe with Gluehwein!! Haha.
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Haven’t thought about Gluehwein in a while…what are the actual spices that go into the wine?
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Nelken und Zimtstangen, Tee und etwas Orangensaft, Zucker and Love
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I figured the first two, but the last 3 ingredients? Is whiskey allowed?
For non-German speakers: Cornelia just sent me the ingredients for a mulled wine (Gluehwein) which is popular in Germany in the winter time: cloves, cinnamon, tea, orange juice and sugar get heated in wine. Very effective in warming the body when coming in from the cold!
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Exquisite. Fragile perfection.
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Definitely fragile and short-lived, but such a gift for the short duration. Thanks, Cindy.
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Another winter gift. Exquisite!
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Yes, an ephemeral gift 🙂
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Annette, I have lovely little antique glasses for drinking the Gluehwein should we meet in the winter sometime! I particularly like the hoar attached to the stems of the Queen Anne’s Lace. Oh heck, I loved all of these beautiful shots!!
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I am certain you have the recipe as well 🙂 Thanks for your enthusiasm, Barbara.
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Hoar frost is wonderful, especially on those Umbellifers .
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So true, the seedheads are very much transformed.
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Those photos are absolutely beautiful, something we never see here !
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Thank you, Jenny. I wouldn’t mind trading for a warmer climate, but have to make the best out of where I am 🙂
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Breathtaking! I learned the hard way that when you saw something beautiful and amazing you had to stop everything and take pictures. Nature changes by the second.
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So true, Nita. I got in the habit of taking my camera along whenever I go out to take advantage of these opportunities. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
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