Nature Notes: Ice, Ice, Baby

I got lucky Tuesday - I had the day off on a morning when there was an ice storm. Well, not a big storm. It seemed to be contained to our little area. But the ice was spectacular. I have never seen ice crystals form this way. Everything from the deer fence around the garden to the smallest dry seedpod was studded with needles of ice. Stems, twigs, everything.





Needless to say, I strapped on some ice grips, grabbed the tripod, and trooped out there before I even had coffee. It wasn't all that cold, but I still had to come back in once to warm up my frozen toes. (When you're diabetic, you pay a lot of attention to your toes if you want to keep them.) Don't my boots look like they have their noses pressed to the glass, eager to get back out there? They struck me as funny when I went to put them back on.





I followed the fence line down to the woods, snapping shots as I went. A chickadee must have been curious, because it followed me from pine to pine, chatting away to keep me company. I found coyote scat, so those are still around. There are tracks of deer and raccoons on the pond ice. And once in a while, I caught the unmistakable whiff of a skunk.









It's been a while since I went for a walk around the place. I really should get out there more often in winter. This challenge is great for lighting a fire under one's comfy, warm keester. Thanks again for hosting it, Michelle!


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