Ice Bells

During our time at the beach along the Wading River, we discovered some interesting ice formations.

They looked like bells. Which raises the question, how did they form.

There were other, similar forms, most just a little to far for close up shots. In a variety of bell like and non-bell like shapes.

My best guess as to why they look like bells is that as moisture condensed out of the air, it did so on strands of the moss hanging down. And as it condensed gravity pulled it down, so that most of it froze on the bottom. But why did it end where it does? And why the bell shape? My hypothesis is that there was a layer of ice on top of the stream, it was still there in other spots nearby, so the water would hit that layer of ice and then spread out. Freezing in the 'cone' shape that forms the 'bell'. But why the 'cap' at the top of the cone? I have no idea. A puzzlement.

And another bit of ice that makes me smile.

Icy Colors

The front bubbler was not the only thing freezing over.

The Fish Pond has as well.

When we moved in Dennis, the prior owner told me that it was important to have some open water for the fish. And he left us a heater to put in the filter box.

Most years, that is enough to keep an area around the filter box ice free. Not this year however.

Thus I've been smashing the ice to open up that zone. One enjoyable side effect of which has been the interesting optical effects, highlighted by the colors.

It's the little things that make me smile.

And apparently icy things.

Icy Bubbler

It has been cold around these parts of late. Rarely getting much above freezing, often in the teens Fahrenheit, and occasionally in the single digits.

And the front bubbler bird bath has frozen completely solid at times.

Well almost completely solid. Seems there is still a bit of liquid water.

And whenever there is then if there is enough sunlight hitting the solar panel, the water flows.

And for some reason, that makes me smile.

🙂

It's That Time of the Year

Needle Ice time.

These needles were in the parking area and I spotted then when I got my car.

So, on a cold day after a warm-ish wet day, look around on the ground for Needle Ice.

I think it is cool (pun!). 

Those Were The Days

At the end of the Before Times, just about a year ago, a group of us went to Lake Morey in Fairlee, Vermont. Home of the Lake Morey Resort and its 4.3 mile ice skating trail.  

Patty, three of her ice hockey friends, and I had a very cold yet very enjoyable weekend, although we stayed at a nearby AirBNB and not at the resort.  

Very, very cold.

Me, I don't skate. I fall. So while they were on the ice, I wandered about in the snow.

I found the overhanging roof snow fascinating.

The icicles, originally formed pointing down, now point up.  

And colorful clouds.

We had planned to stay at the Resort the year before, albeit a smaller group, but a blizzard put the kibosh on those plans. So with a larger group we opted for different accommodations, within comfortable walking distance.

The cold was good for something.

In addition to skating we did a bit of hiking.

The Palisades Trail was between the Lake and our weekend abode. Alas, one of the group, Ginger, had taken a nasty spill on the ice, and decide to sit this hike out.

Fortunately it was not breeding season, so we were good to go.

And up we went. And yes, it was a bit of an adventure coming back down.

The trail was well marked. For now.

The view from the top. You can see our domicile from here. It is the place with the light green roof and two dark windows (and not the one with the green sides).

The sun sets early up north, and it was getting dark as we headed back down. As a preemptive measure, I sat and slid part of the way. No falling for me.

In addition to skating, hiking, and drinking, and of course eating (we always have way too much food!) we went cross country skiing.

At the Strafford Nordic Center.

The trails were nicely groomed. And we had a map. 

But we still somehow wound up on the Kamikaze Trail.

We all survived, although I did fall. More than once. And we all had fun. And I would do it again.

❄️  ❄️  ❄️  ❄️  ❄️

This was last February. And not long after everything shut down. It would be our last trip for some time.

Right about now this same group had planned to be in Lake Placid, enjoying similar activities. 

F*#@*#g Pandemic.

Shadow Halos at Home

A couple of years ago, back the before times when I actually went somewhere else to work, I noticed some curious halos in the parking lot outside my then office window. And thus the Shadow Halos post.

Halloween morning I looked out my window to see this.

Shadow Halos on my garage.

Although this time it was a bit easier to see what was going on. Cool to see just the same.

Frosty

A small reminder that it is still winter in these here parts.

Around the Yard

A few odd and ends from around the yard as the year comes to a close ...

I was out behind the garage and I spooked an Eastern Cottontail. It shot off toward the deer fence and, to my amazement, went straight through as if the fence wasn't even there.

Turns out that for this particular spot, the fence wasn't there. It may not be obvious in the image above, but several squares of the fence are missing. I've not yet decided how to repair it. I'm leaning towards reinforcing the areas around the hole, but leaving the hole open so small critters can come and go. We just don't want it to grow larger.

🐇  🐇  🐇

Here is a link to a tumblely Eastern Grey Squirrel, eating bird seed on our garden path. It was almost as if it was drunk. Maybe it ate one mushroom too many? Careful inspection with binoculars did not discern any physical ailment. Patty had seen similar behavior the day before. I've not seen it since, which perhaps does not bode well for our stumbler. I hope it is ok.

🐿  🐿  🐿

Another link, actually two links, this time to a Bat flying over the yard. On December 27th. We had actually seen one as we were driving back from Browns Mills for the second time that morning (don't ask, but Patty did eventually find her glasses). Uncommon even in spring and summer, curious to see now.

🦇  🦇  🦇

Our Beauty Berry bush has been a hit with the birds this year. I posted about a Hermit Thrush earlier this month. Here is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Berries aren't the only thing on the menu. Sometimes, birds are.

Patty and I were sitting in the living room when the birds in the garden scattered. One even hit the living room window in its haste to get away (it was ok; startled us though). And then, just as it secured its prey and flew off, I spotted the hawk. Most likely a Cooper's hawk. I tried, but could not relocate it in the trees around the yard. And two days later, two rainy days later, all that is left are the wet feathers.

🐦  🦅  🐦

This morning, when I looked out the bedroom window, I noticed that a large branch had come crashing down on the driveway. A branch that had broken over a year ago and hung precariously over the driveway all that time. Finally it had fell.

And it was covered in Lichens. Someday I'll get serious about identifying the various Lichens around the yard. But for now I'll just enjoy their alien beauty.

That was in the 'front' driveway. Over around on the 'back' driveway a tree had fallen and partially blocked the way. So I grabbed a saw and headed over. The dead wood was easy to cut through.

And the dead wood was host to a variety of Fungi, another form of life that I'll someday get serious about identifying. And another that I'll just enjoy sharing the yard with.

🍄  🍄  🍄

The past week has seen temperatures in the 40's and 50's °F. But the week prior saw highs in the teens and twenties. I much prefer colder temps in wintertime.

One thing I like are the patterns the ice forms.

We live in a wet area and on what was once a blueberry farm, with plenty of nooks and grannies for water to pool and ice to form.

And then there is Needle Ice, which I discovered for myself last year.

I found it in several places in the yard on the Winter Solstice, which was the last really cold day we had around here. Good thing we had a fire.

Also on the Solstice the fish pond started to freeze over. I don't think the fish share my preference for cold weather as they move more and more slowly as the temperature falls.

As do we all I suppose. Stay warm. And in the new year enjoy the wonders that are all around you.

Winter Is Coming ...

... I better go get the shovel ...

Halos Revisited

In this post I claimed that I had seen  22° and Circumscribed Halos.

I was wrong.

What I saw was much cooler.

I sent my images to Les Cowley, who maintains the Atmospheric Optics site, and he was kind enough to write back and label one of the images as shown above. He noted in the email, "You have captured a rare display of halos generated by partially oriented pyramidal crystals."

Dr. Cowley continued:

Most pyramidal ice crystals tumble and are effectively random oriented.  These for the 'odd radius' circular halos:

    https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/pyrhalo.htm

Some pyramids can get oriented and they produce blurred patches of light or arcs - 'parhelia'.   You have 18 and 23 degree ones

    https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/pyrpars.htm

    https://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/lonearc.htm -  - 23 deg arc

And we now know why I thought it was one of the most impressive displays I'd ever seen.

Thanks to Dr. Les Cowley for taking the time to label the image, provide links, and explain what it was I saw and photographed.

Frozen Bubbles

It was again in single digits Fahrenheit when I woke this morning. But today without wind. So I decided to try this again (coincidently it was 7° F this morning as well).

Freeze bubbles that is.

First I had to blow a bubble, and then catch it so I could set it down without bursting. Not as easy as you may think.

Then you wait for the magic to occur (where for "magic" read "physics"). Look closely and you can see it starting to solidify.

Now it has sprung a leak. Being frozen it retains a bubble shape.

But it is too fragile to last.

And it collapses under its own weight.

°  °  °  °  °  °  °  °  °  °

There are some interesting things going on with this one. Well, interesting to me anyway.

First, you can see ice crystals forming on the top and side of the bubble and perhaps some holes. Second you can see thin film interference colors on the top. And third there are some curious optical effects with the reflections of the bubble wand.

Bubbles are usually ephemeral things.

But frozen, it is for a while a fractured bubble.

Soon enough only fragments remain.

°  °  °  °  °  °  °  °  °  °

These didn't freeze in the same fashion as the last time. Those had much more obvious ice crystals forming on the bubble surface. These just seemed to solidify without significant crystal formation. Curious.