the daily distraction: hoarfrost
aka "let's pretend it's winter time"

i'd never even heard of it before, hoarfrost. sounds like something that might require antibiotics and a board certified medical technician. but my friend kate awoke to a landscape of it a couple of days ago and it sounds (corn alert) jawdropping. pinch worthy. may make you believe in pixies. or elves that make christmas presents.


picture from kate in saskatchewan

(this section is for the coastal californians who think winter equals putting a sweater on when you are at the beach and/or having five days of rain) it happens when the air above ground is so cold (and foggy? at same time?) it can't hold any water vapor. it attaches itself to things of small diameters (tree branches, leaves, clothespins) and transforms from vapor to solid, completely sidestepping the prerequisite liquid state (this is called sublimation).

and so today, for your daily distraction, i bring you a gallery of hoarfrost photos.



click on the thumbnails to see the beautiful larger images



» more hoarfrost words and photos