Monday 1 December 2008

A visit from Jack Frost

CAN YOU HEAR IT? A tinkling crackity-crickity peppering all over the hills. It sounds like the breaking of a thousand tiny glasses under a thousand tiny boots. The ground is hard as stone and walking on the earth sounds like my feet are knocking on a wooden door that leads to Underground. All of nature is iced in mid sway and crowned with winter jewels rarer than diamonds. A low sun scatters fractals of beauty between the tips of grass blades and the furthest reaches of my eyelashes.
Jack Frost has been here.


36 comments:

Unknown said...

Feeling very town bound at the moment, so it was good to gasp at the beautiful chill of your shots. Thanks for sharing.

Ciara Brehony said...

Ooo! We too have had a week of stunning crisp blue-sky frosty mornings here. But being practically on the beach means we never get hoarfrost like this! I am envious. I will never forget the first time I saw it in the mid-lands and I was completely incredulous at the pure beauty of it!
Isn't nature something else!!!

tut-tut said...

Here, the sun has not yet risen, and maybe it won't, as it is snowing . . .

I miss those breath-catching cold days of your wonderful photos, though.

Anonymous said...

So beautiful..and so bloomin' cold!!x

Anonymous said...

Very beautiful words Rima to go with your beautiful photographs.

Karen said...

Beautiful, I just love old Jack Frost!

Anonymous said...

I love the art of Jack Frost. So far he really hasn't visited. He must be getting closer though. My breath can be seen in the cold night air.

d. moll, l.ac. said...

BRRRR, crispy and crunchy.

nina said...

o! so very beautiful. i wish i were standing on a hill there, listening to the wind, to the silence. to my heart. ox

Lisa Falzon said...

I wonder if those sheep have cold feet!

Half-heard in the Stillness said...

Stunning pictures and beautiful writing Rima, you look really warmly wrapped in your new photograph, I envy your views of the hills!! I'm so glad you are feeling recovered from your bout of the flu.
Hugs.

PurestGreen said...

I just knew you would have beautiful photos. I love them so - thanks for posting them.

Shelley Noble said...

"All of nature is iced in mid sway and crowned with winter jewels rarer than diamonds."

Are you kidding me with your gifts?! Your descriptions read like poetry and the finest story prose.

Kim said...

Wow, what beautiful pictures. Will you be warm enough in your moving home, when the time comes? I hope you have plenty of warm woolies (I sound like my Mother now!)

Kim x

laughingwolf said...

beautifully said, even the cold shivers are delicious :O lol

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I can feel the cold air in my lungs just from the pictures. Bundle up!

Gail said...

What beautiful photos Rima ... they capture the beauty of a frosty morning so well ... brrrrrrrrr ...
-Gail X

BT said...

stunning photos and such beautiful words too, we have had Jack Frost but not with such depth.
xx

Yoli said...

Oh Rima how beautiful and magical!

Anonymous said...

Beautifully written. I have never seen such frost!. They photos are amazing.In the city in South Australia I have never experienced frost like that.I'd love to step into those photos!

Solvay said...

How stunning the north can be in winter! Thank you for sharing those photos!!!

And your delightful, onomatopoetic description of the sights - magical!

"It sounds like the breaking of a thousand tiny glasses under a thousand tiny boots. ...crowned with winter jewels rarer than diamonds." GORGEOUS WORDS!!!

Meanwhile: Wow, thanks for taking the time - in this whirlwind time before your departure - to stop by my wee blog. And, how nice of you to stop over at Marc Hanson's blog, too! Yes, his paintings are wonderful - I especially like his recent "color study" of the moon rising over the wooded opening of the water.

Glad you enjoyed the music.
Solveg

Nao said...

I have always thought fields to be the perfect canvas for the magical art of Jack Frost. Frosted grasses really are a dazzling display of sparkly wonderment.

Barbara Martin said...

Wonderful photos of the hoarfrost! Gads, putting fence posts in the winter.

herhimnbryn said...

These are truely beautiful images Lady R. I am homesick for my little corner of the Uk now! I miss cold winters, so very much.
Thankyou.

Tammie Lee said...

From the looks of your wonderful photos, we have very similar weather! Twas a chilly 5F this morning with frost painting the earth. Lovely.

mariel said...

What beautiful photographs! I should post my photos of our Norfolk snow, but I don't think they do it justice. Wintery blessings to you both.

Gwen Buchanan said...

I truly can hear it..........

Barry said...

What a remarkably beautiful blog. This is just stunning!

Elizabeth said...

So painfully and achingly beautiful.
Magic pictures and magic words.

Anonymous said...

We've had some very frosty mornings here and all the nights are below freezing now. My son and I admired some fine frost feathers on a concrete path the other day. Now I can finally sing "Earth stood hard as iron / Water like a stone" and not feel silly!

Cat (darklingwoods) said...

Oh Rima *brrrrr* I love the images of Jack Frost's visit! Would you believe it will free tonight here in Florida even? I hope to see a bit of rare frost myself! But I imagine you will also see snow soon!?

Unknown said...

beautiful photos...how i wish i was there too...

Griffin said...

Yep, definitely Stone Season again. Everything as cold and hard as stone. Just you and young Tui keep warm, that's all! This is duvet weather fer sure. I am thinking of hibernating myself.

I love the ice feathers on car windows... admittedly it's not my car so that may be why I can enjoy them!! Take care both of you and be safe and well.

Carolyn said...

Beautiful Photos. This scenery resembles ours here in New Mexico, USA.

Griffin said...

Rima, you've been tagged for an award (it's your own fault for being fab!) so do come by and have a look.

anna wadham said...

lovely frosty pics. I really love your blog- have been following it since you left comments on mine! i especially like your clocks ;)