One frosty morning

My morning routine which includes opening the blinds as I prepare for the day was more interesting recently because of what was happening outside. Over a period of ten minutes, I watched frost forming on the trees across the street and in the back yard. Hoarfrost is nature using her invisible paintbrush to whiten the world as moisture condenses directly to ice in freezing temperatures. My husband and I decided to walk early since the sun, which is gaining strength, would make quick work of the frost.

We stopped at a nearby, tree-lined street to see how the magic from Mother’s paintbrush had finished the scene just minutes prior.

Walking under the trees, the sun was already melting the ice and frosty bits fell around and on us. However, the blue sky background attempted to make every frosty molecule stand out before they melted away.

This scene near one of the homes drew my eye

as did the long frosty fingers on this tree.

At the boardwalk, our usual haunt, the air was still and the vegetation along the walkway had accumulated some of nature’s magic too.

Rose hips, which survived winter’s onslaught thus far, had frosty beards on the frost-ward side.  

   

My favourite photo of the day was the Queen Anne’s Lace which we enjoy in the fields and lining the walkways in summer and fall. How the skeletal remains of the plants survived post tropical storm Fiona and winter’s blast are amazing feats. Yet there they stand on this frosty morning, shadows of their former selves but beautiful nonetheless.

There is a lesson for us there!

Along the Grand River

Every winter we visit the Grand River area of Prince Edward Island to see the birds who frequent the area when cold winds and diminished light are the norm. 

Across the water, the community of Bayside rests along the river, its yellow church, St. Patrick’s, standing proud along the shoreline. It was so windy that day, it was hard to keep the camera steady for a photo.

Meanwhile, in the areas of open water on the river, Goldeneyes were plentiful, the Barrow’s species, with the white teardrop on their faces more numerous than the Common species with the white circle. Also present were Mergansers and Gulls which we see year round.

We made our pilgrimage to St. Patrick’s too, or the bumblebee church as I call it. 

The farmland of Prince County spreads out around the church on both sides of the river.

It is obvious that snow machines were crossing the ice. They won’t be able to do that much longer as the temperatures hover near zero.

I took a picture to capture three trees standing proud in the winter sunlight. The colours, which may be from the camera lens, made a curious addition to the scene.

The tree trunks were almost as colourful!

On the way back around Grand River I saw this head above the guardrail as we drove by. 

We stopped to see these domestic geese by the side of the road along the river. They are accustomed to people and hardly moved when I stopped to photograph them.

Before long the snow will be gone and the Goldeneyes will too. I heard recently that the Barrow’s are an endangered species. I wish them well on their travels the rest of this year!