"Ice Flower" or "Frost Ribbon"

[retiredwith4acres]

My husband and I went for a walk today to try for three miles and went on an old road bed that hasn't been in use for over 15 years. We walked to the end which ended at the lake where an old bridge once stood. As we came back we noticed some things we though was snow (we had some flurries on Monday) but upon closer observation we discovered these wonderful "flowers""ribbons"!

Wikipedia says:

The formation of frost flowers, also known as "ice flowers," is dependent on a freezing weather condition occurring when the ground is not already frozen. The sap in the stem of the plants will expand (water expands when frozen), causing long, thin cracks to form along the length of the stem. Water is then drawn through these cracks via capillary action and freezes upon contact with the air. As more water is drawn through the cracks it pushes the thin ice layers further from the stem, causing a thin "petal" to form. In the case of woody plants and (living or dead) tree branches the freezing water is squeezed through the pores of the plant forming long thin strings of ice that look uncannily like hair i.e. "frost beard".

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Nature never seems to stop amazing me. Very beautiful.

 

[thistlebloom]

That's interesting! I've never heard of that phenomenon, it's very pretty.

 

[Carol Dee]

Thank You so much for sharing another natural wonder that we rarely get a chance to see. These are AMAZING !

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Wow! That's very cool!

 

[lesa]

What a lovely gift from mother nature! Thanks for sharing that!

 

[retiredwith4acres]

You know, we so often just walk on by and don't notice and appreciate the natural miracles around us, just as we had walked by these beautiful things as we went down the road. When we took time to look on our return trip, soul renewing and breathtaking sites. Instead of complaining about the cold and bad weather, I need to enjoy what my God is offering now.