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Monday, 12 February 2018

Icy Lace

I've been trying to get out walking again, but lately the air always seems to be filled with either snow, rain, or freezing rain, none of which are very much fun to go out into. On Sunday alone, we had freezing rain, rain, freezing rain, and rain, in that order. I had to go to the pharmacy for my mother during the second round of freezing rain, and it took ten minutes to scrape the ice from my car windows when I set out. In the few minutes I was in the store, the car iced up again. And again while I was taking the items into my mother's house. It's especially interesting to scrape vigorously at one's car windows while standing on an icy lane or parking lot. But -- free exercise!! It's all about perspective, my friends.

Getting back to the topic of walking, during one of the mid-afternoon "rain" cycles I decided to venture out. It wasn't bad until near the end of my walk, when the temperature had dropped just enough that the wet pavement had started to freeze, and then I had to mince home like a waddling duck to make sure I didn't end up on either my anterior or my posterior, or maybe even worse than either of those, doing the splits.

Along the way, I took a few pictures. The moisture on the ground and at the edges of the puddles was starting to freeze as the temperature dropped, and it made for some lovely, fragile lace-like formations on the ground.

 










I can't find the right words to describe how sheer and delicate the ice in the last shot was. It was thinner than paper-thin or razor-thin, and I couldn't find any synonym for "extremely extremely thin" online. Does anyone have the word I'm looking for??

I only wish the extremely extremely thin ice showed up better in the photo. Ah, the limitations of a point-and-shoot camera!

I hope you all have a good week, free from doing "the splits" or "the splats" or any other kind of unplanned athletics :) 



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38 comments:

  1. River12 February 2018 at 06:44

    This is something I'm unlikely to ever see out here even in our winter. What we call freezing is barely cool compared to your winters.
    In the third photo, along the bottom edge of the ice forming, those brighter lines look like far off lightning strikes.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:14

      It's so interesting to me how certain things in nature remind us of other things in nature. Or maybe it's only that way for those of us with the wild imaginations :)

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  2. Marie Smith12 February 2018 at 08:40

    There is such beauty everywhere in nature if we but open our eyes to see it.

    The weather here is the same. Boots are our house have the ice grab thingies on them these days.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:16

      I had forgotten about those ice grabbers - haven't seen them in the stores for several years. Maybe they've sold out!

      I agree with you on the beauty everywhere. That was a very dull, dreary day filled with gray and brown, but the ice was extraordinary (in person more so than on camera, perhaps).

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  3. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe12 February 2018 at 09:10

    It was a feat last week just staying vertical getting to the mailbox at the end of the driveway. You are a very brave lady to go driving in that icy weather. The crystals on the road are lovely to look at but oh so dangerous.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:19

      The streets were fairly good because it had been salted, although I had a couple of moments of free-style driving! I grew up driving in our winters, with lesser tires than I now have, so it's not as bad as it could be. I worry more about being on my feet; as you pointed out it can be very dangerous.

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  4. Terry12 February 2018 at 09:16

    Hi Jenny, life is very different for me. I rarely get to go outside these days but I remember how icy it can be. Especially in Canada. Be very careful when you go out or move to somewhere where it’s not so cold is my tip. I

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:35

      I am more careful now than when I was younger, because I picture my bones getting more and more brittle :)

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  5. Yorkshire Pudding12 February 2018 at 10:41

    To describe the thinness of the ice, the lovely words "diaphanous" or "gossamer" might have come in handy. By the way, I hope you don't mind but I chuckled about your pharmacy visit! Icy Pharmacy Visits should be an event in The Winter Olympics with marks given for style and athletic endeavour.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:39

      Two excellent words; it doesn't surprise me that you had those close at hand. And while I wasn't chuckling at the time, Icy Pharmacy Visits seemed funnier when I was safely home.

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  6. only slightly confused12 February 2018 at 10:45

    Sheer comes to mind for extremely extremely thin...that's about the best I can come up with.

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  7. Red12 February 2018 at 11:11

    Freezing rain here is always disasterous as the ground is frozen and as soon as the rain hits the ground it freezes.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:42

      Yep. I'd rather snow if I have to go anywhere. Much safer.

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  8. Joanne Noragon12 February 2018 at 13:24

    gossamer?

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  9. Anonymous12 February 2018 at 13:45

    To think I thought about emigrating to Canada when I was in my teens, lol. Glad you didn't come a cropper on the ice whether walking or driving.

    The weather here in Devon has been fine and sunny with lots of rain and some windy moments. It has been cold, but I'm sure not the temperatures you are having.

    Take care and stay warm.

    Joan (Devon)

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 15:46

      We actually have been having quite mild weather, but it's the mildness that brings the freezing rain. Right around the freezing mark is the temperature where we are most likely to have this treacherous stuff. Did you really think about emigrating when you were a teen? I'd love to hear that story! Have you ever thought about starting a blog, Joan?

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    2. Anonymous12 February 2018 at 16:53

      Yes, I did think about emigrating to Canada as I have relatives in Ontario. I got all the leaflets and information that was available in the 1960s. I particularly remember the pictures of the snow with people skiing and the ice hockey etc. It all looked ideal. I can't remember why I changed my mind unless it was because I had a new boyfriend. They are always an influence, aren't they?

      I have thought about starting a blog, but don't feel I have much to say that would interest anyone. I do like to leave comments on other people's blogs and getting a reply though.

      Watch your footsteps Jenny, you don't want another fall.

      Joan (Devon)

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    3. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 23:59

      Hah! yes, it's hard to leave a special person behind.

      I had the same worry when I started my blog, but I write what I wish and if other folks like to read it (or are kind enough to) that is just a bonus. But I did the commenting only part for five years first because my personal committments were too heavy to start something new. I'm glad I took a chance, though; there's a lot of enjoyment to be had in having a place for your very own voice to come out. I think there is a lot of interest here in hearing each others' stories, just as in real life. We all have those stories, and we are the most qualified to tell our own!

      When I was solely commenting, I too liked getting a reply. It felt more like a conversation. I still use that criteria when choosing new blogs to leave comments on.

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  10. dinthebeast12 February 2018 at 17:47

    And to think that I felt weird hurrying my laps in the back yard yesterday because it felt like in might rain...
    But- ten laps in fourteen minutes- perhaps I got more out of it than usual.
    Ice crystals can be quite beautiful, and your pictures are excellent.

    -Doug in Oakland

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 23:35

      Thanks, Doug; the ice really is pretty.

      You must have been hustling! Good for the heart and lungs :)

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  11. kylie12 February 2018 at 22:21

    If I had been out in that I would have been so busy trying to keep body and soul together, I wouldn't have seen the beautiful ice structures.
    You have a great eye and the will to use it!

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 23:36

      Maybe I should have clarified that I took all the photos before the road got slippery! You're giving me far too much credit :)

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  12. Jimmy12 February 2018 at 22:58

    Unplanned splits and splats are not exercises that I would recommend, I remember walking out to my truck on ice when I lived in New Mexico, I hit a slick spot and started sliding, I twisted and turned and flailing my arms around until I hit the side of my truck, I never hit the ground and to this still don't know how I kept from it.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 23:42

      One of my friends slipped on the ice, hit her car, and ended up with cracked ribs and a twisted knee . . . I'd say you were either limber or lucky, Jimmy!

      I didn't know it got cold enough in New Mexico to have ice . . . Having checked Wikipedia for more info, I realize I don't know very much about New Mexico, period. Something new to learn about!

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  13. Martha12 February 2018 at 23:21

    We are in danger of doing the splits" or "the splats" here. HAHAHA! It is really difficult to go walking when you spend more time looking at the ground to make sure you step on safe spaces. But...and I say this grudgingly...the ice formations are stunning. Such beautiful artwork. I'm not a fan of winter but I will admit...again grudgingly...that it's a really pretty season.

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    1. jenny_o12 February 2018 at 23:45

      We have to take our pluses where we find them, eh Martha :) Thirty-five days until the spring equinox, my friend!

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  14. Steve Reed13 February 2018 at 13:50

    Isn't very thin ice called "rime," or something like that? Anyway, it's beautiful, if also treacherous!

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    1. jenny_o13 February 2018 at 15:02

      So I looked up rime and fell down the rabbit hole and found there is a whole vocabulary for ice formations . . . of course there is. Ice is not new :)

      Rime seems to be a more granular formation. I'll post an update on Friday! Thanks for the lead :)

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  15. Jono14 February 2018 at 17:35

    No need to insist on doing your own stunts.

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    1. jenny_o14 February 2018 at 21:06

      Ha ha! But there's no one else willing to do them!

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  16. baili15 February 2018 at 04:27

    this was so sweet of you to get out of the house in such ruthless weather for your mom's medicines dear Jenny!

    i imagined your iced car and your effort to get back home safely

    i found these photos INCREDIBLY STUNNING!!!

    they appear to eyes as amazing abstract art which speak so well for the thought behind this art ,thank you for such different glimpse of ice

    i can't say i can survive such weather or not but i am sure i would love to walk on ice after leaving my joints back home front of heater

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    1. jenny_o15 February 2018 at 15:35

      I love your sense of humour, baili! I think you would enjoy the walk if you were well-dressed for it, as we all are. Well, most of us are. The youngsters, especially the boys, like to go around without enough warm clothing because it's not "cool" in their eyes to wear a hat and gloves and boots :)

      Nature's art is quite amazing, isn't it? Thank you for your kind words.

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  17. Chickens Consigliere15 February 2018 at 21:49

    I was thinking Lace, too, but I like gossamer better!

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    1. jenny_o16 February 2018 at 14:12

      It's lovely to have the right words, isn't it?

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