(Frost - 1) We usually encounter frost as a solid white coating on car
windows, grass, and rooftops; but sometimes frost appears in spectacular forms.
Before the advent of insulated glass, Jack Frost's artistry appeared on the
windows of homes. On one of our daily walks, Mary and I encountered this
magnificent display. The spaces between these ice crystals make it
unusual. This appears to be a combination of frost and rime ice, formed
only on the top surface of a wooden bridge rail.
|
(Frost - 1a) No two ice crystals are exactly the same. Some look like
needles, while others look like miniature Christmas trees. We marvel at
the various wonders of God's creation. These jewels of winter are but a
few examples. When we human beings make something, we expect the
duplicates to be identical. But with God, even common things like these
ice crystals are unique. In the same way we humans, our companion
animals, and all other animals each have our own individual personality.
|
(Frost - 1b) On continued
contact with a hard cold surface, some of the moisture in the air freezes to
form thicker ice crystals like these. We enjoy observing these simple
things in life without causing any harm to our fellow humans, to the animals, or
to the environment. In sharp contrast, we heard the sound of distant gun
fire coming from those who seek to destroy for their personal gratification.
|
(Frost - 1c) The morning sun glistens on these jewels of winter, giving them
the brilliance of diamonds. In the center we have an ice formation
spreading itself out like the branches of a tree. To the right, the ice
looks like decorative Japanese fans standing in a row. To the left is one
that stands erect like a crystal tree on a thin trunk. Think of how
spectacular our Christmas trees would look if we could decorate them with larger
versions of crystals like these.
|
(Frost - 2) Every place along the bridge rail where we looked at these ice
crystals, we saw something different - something to marvel at - something to be
thankful for being privileged to be able to see it. These jewels of winter
were here for our enjoyment until the warmth of the sun evaporated them, but
they will return the next cold night with an ever renewing variety of form.
|
(Frost
- 2a) The ice crystals in this photo range in appearance from jagged
pieces of glass, to a perfectly formed crystal candelabra, to shimmering
concentric hexagons. Unless we take the time to look, we will miss these
visual blessings.
|
(Frost
- 2b) These jewels of winter look like they're on display in a
showcase, or like they have been individually planted by the winter time
gardener, Jack Frost. It is interesting how some of these ice crystals
grow flat on the surface and how others grow upright. Using the larger
crystal in the lower right of the photo as an example, we can see how successive
layers of ice formed, or grew upon each other, making it look like it's
partially out of focus.
|
(Frost
- 2c) The ice crystals in this photo give us an excellent example of
the way one layer of ice forms upon the previous layer to create the various
formations. According to Job 37:10 (KJV), these gems are a gift: "By
the breath of God, frost is given..." If the people of this world,
particularly our leaders, would truly appreciate the little things in life,
perhaps we wouldn't be experiencing the destruction and death that never seems
to end.
|
(Frost
- 3) It is interesting how most of these ice crystals have developed
independently of each other, so that we can appreciate their individual forms.
We often limit our thinking to finite terms, such as: water freezes into ice,
and the moisture in the air freezes as frost, rime, or glaze ice. As a
result, we fail to see beyond the obvious. But when we open our minds to
accept greater possibilities, we begin to see "infinite" options. Our
neighbors (human and non-human) also present opportunities for us to get to know
them individually.
|
(Frost
- 3a) With its long needle extending from a series of vertical plates,
this ice display is particularly interesting. The vertical plates also
show the ice layers as they formed. This multi-layering can also be seen
in the partial crystal extending in from the right edge of the photo.
|
(Frost
- 3b) Here is another example of how the ice forms in multi-layers on
the individual sections of these frozen jewels of winter. We may not all
have the digital camera equipment to capture this beauty; but most of us could
carry a good magnifying glass on our walks, so that when the opportunities
present themselves, we can get a closer look at the beauty and wonder of
creation.
|
(Frost
- 3c) The star shaped ice crystal formation in the upper right of this
photo glistens in the morning sunlight. The layering of the plates in this
formation was the same as is in some of the other formations, but the star shape
was uncommon. We look forward to our next wondrous encounter with the
glory displayed in God's creation. May we all work toward making this a
kinder and more gentle world, where we will no longer harm each other, the
animals, or the environment. In Isaiah 11:9 we are told that this can
happen when we learn to let the knowledge of the Lord fill the earth as the
waters cover the sea.
|
(Frost - 04) We
didn't have any snow for Christmas in 2006, nor for that matter had we had any
snow before Christmas, which was the first time this had happened in the 27
years we'd lived here. What we did have this Christmas was a light coating
of frost. One of the interesting things we noticed was that the frost on
the top rail of our deck had formed in rows of needles that followed the grain
of the wood.
|
(Frost - 04a)
This is a closer look at the rows of frost needles. We're not completely
sure why the frost formed in this particular way, but we surmise that there was
a difference in the surface temperature between the dark and light wood grains
and that the frost began to form along the colder grain lines. Since the
air and frost were colder than the wood, the frost crystals grew along the same
lines.
|
(Frost - 05) This is another look at the frost on the top of our porch rail taken from a slightly lower angle. |
(Frost - 05a)
By making the photo lighter so that we could see the wood grain on the inside of
the rail, we could see the little nodes of frost formed along the dark wood
grains.
|
(Frost - 06) In this photo, we're looking nearly straight down at the rows of frost crystals. |
(Frost - 06a)
This is another close up look at the frost crystals. In this photo we can
also see that small frost crystals had begun to form along the smaller grain
lines between the major rows of frost.
|
(Frost - 06b) This is another close up look at the rows of frost crystals. |
(Frost - 07) We
took this photo of the frost crystals looking along the top of the porch wood
railing.
|
(Frost - 07a)
This is a close up look at some of the clear ice crystals that make up the
"white" frost. In the center of this photo, we can also see an open
section of wood that has no frost deposits.
|
(Frost - 07b)
This is the final photo that we took of Christmas frost of 2006. It was a
Christmas gift from God that was free of cost, and brought a lot of pleasure.
|
(Frost - 08) We took this and
the following photos on the morning of 6 Dec 2008 of the fine frost that had
formed on the 1-1/2 inch wide top rail of our porch deck. Using the macro
setting on our camera, we tried to focus on some of the ice crystals.
|
(Frost - 08a) This is a closer
look at some of the fine ice crystals that form the frost.
|
(Frost - 08b) This is another
close up look at the fine ice crystals that form along the grain of the wood.
|
(Frost - 09) This is another
look at the frost on the top rail of our deck.
|
(Frost - 09a) This is a closer
look at some of the frost. We have noticed that when the air and surface
temperatures are just a little below freezing, the frost crystals are more
rounded, particularly when the sun begins to shine on them.
|
(Frost - 09b) This is another
close up look at some of the frost crystals.
|
(Frost - 10) These are some of
the frost crystals that formed on our picnic table.
|
(Frost - 10a) This is a close
up of some of the elaborate frost formations. We also find it interesting
that there is open space between the crystal formations on the surface of the wood.
|
(Frost - 10b) This is another
close up look at some other frost formations on the surface of the table.
|
(Frost - 11) This is another
look at some of the frost crystals that formed on the surface of our picnic table.
|
(Frost - 11a) This is another
close up look at some of the frost crystals gleaming in the early morning sunshine.
|
(Frost - 12) This is another view of some of the frost crystals.
|
(Frost - 12a) This is another
close up look at some of the frost crystals with their long shadows.
|
(Frost - 12b) This is another
close up look at some more frost crystals.
|
Presented here are just a few of the countless components of God's creation. Just as we
cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither can we have lasting peace without
love and compassion. It is our hope
and prayer that this series will motivate people to live and act in a
cruelty-free manner; that we would no longer hurt or destroy each other, the
animals or our environment.
| 