frost and shadows
9:50 pm
fine frost etching, edging leaves
and blades of grass, furry white
still frozen where no sun touches
late afternoon sunbeams
through glass and paper snowflakes
flirting light and shadows
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by Marja-Leena by Marja-Leena jack frost
12:30 pm
Jack Frost has been visiting on our clear cold nights recently, doing his artistry in the garden with his sparkling white paints. It is now back to rain, and looking like a green Christmas.
And that reminds me…. it is time to revisit the Gardener’s Night Before Christmas – enjoy!
Back to the kitchen now to clean up the mess from baking the joulutortut, the Finnish plum tarts. Later this afternoon our daughter and partner arrive!
by Marja-Leena footprints in frost
9:57 pm
by Marja-Leena hellos and goodbyes
3:51 pm
Much greeting and hugging and then goodbyes have been a large part of our holidays as our family swelled from seven for Christmas Eve to nine on the 27th, then twelve for just a day on the 28th and down to six as of today. Several of us have been suffering some flu, which even yours truly of the cast-iron-tummy picked up on Boxing Day. It’s been a bit of a struggle to be jolly and feed everybody. I’ve resolved to keep these last days of the year and first of the new very quiet and low-key with no more entertaining so that when some of us head back to work next week we’ll be fully recovered.
Our sunny frosty weather was a wonderful Christmas gift. Husband indulged in a new camera lens for us both and has played with it, including capturing the above image of ice that I just love. I wished I’d had time and wellness to capture some of the hoar frost in the garden! I look forward to getting acquainted with it and will tell you more later.
Speaking of ice, you may recall some of my past photos of frost flowers or fractals (search). The other day while browsing a new-to-me blog by a resident of Gabriola Island (off Vancouver Island near Nanaimo), I was stunned by his/her photos of frost flowers that look like spun sugar. I’ve never seen anything like them, have you?
Soon, much too soon, we’re into another year and leaving behind a decade called, what, the aughts, noughts, the 00’s? Twenty-ten, twenty-eleven and on will roll a bit easier on our lazy tongues though still sound rather foreign to me. I plan to be back with a proper New Year’s greeting but not with one of those long lists which I’ve been enjoying elsewhere. Just a simple goodbye and a hello.
by Marja-Leena frosty
1:30 pm
The other morning frost covered trees, shrubs, grass, even the glass on the skylights. Though not lovely frost ferns this time, its thawing looks like lace.
Outdoors I’m looking very closely at the frost on the deck railing.
and how it is thawing on the sunnier end….
Oh, I almost forgot Finland’s Independence Day today! Here’s the perfect music to honour it. Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!
by Marja-Leena Finnish ice flowers
12:14 pm
In today’s meanderings amongst some favourite Finnish bloggers, my eyes popped at the sight of some absolutely gorgeous photos of frost flowers on ikkunaiines’** windows. The pictures speak for themselves without language. There are lots more on her photoblog. All her photographs are truly beautiful, so do have a look.
There are some obvious advantages to a colder climate as you can see if you compare these to the much more subdued frost patterns here in Vancouver, captured on Dec. 5th, 2004 and Nov. 14th, 2005. I remember many beautiful ones on my bedroom window in my childhood home in Winnipeg, a place which can be colder than Finland!
Artist Merja, author of taidettako? has a beautiful photo of her frost flowers! And, children’s book author Anna Amnell, aka ‘blogisisko’** has just joined in with hers. I love the juxtaposition with the orchids. Go look!
Jan. 22nd: More flowers blooming in Finland where they are having a very cold snap – here is Kapa’s window. He is an artist-photographer in Jyväskylä, Finland with an impressive exhibition history, including one he’s in right now in his hometown.
** expired links which have been removed
by Marja-Leena snowflakes & scary santa
7:39 pm
Today’s blog travels yielded some seasonal treats like this lovely photogallery of snowflakes and some of the science behind these nature’s artworks.
In case you missed it, also have a look at something a bit related – frost fractals.
Thanks to Amy for the snowflakes link on the sidebar at Ever So Humble* along with many other neat links. Amy has been writing this month about winter’s wonders and christmas-y stuff, sharing her honest enjoyment of the pleasures of community, home and family. I should have added her blog to my list of favourite things about Christmas!
Then at mirabilis, another favourite blog, I’m reminded of the history of “joulupukki” – Finland’s Scary Santa.
Try out these suggestions for an eco-friendly holiday
UPDATE: Avoid buying these 10 gifts.
UPDATE: Dec.25.04 Another site about snowflakes and snow crystals
*this blog no longer exists, sadly
by Marja-Leena weather report
12:38 pm
Though many areas around Metro Vancouver received a lot of snow on the weekend, our little microclimate prevented us from getting more than a dusting and even that was blown away by the high winds. Funny how the weather can be so different a few blocks apart. This week it is continuing below freezing and getting even colder with clear skies giving us sunshine and moonlight. We have a chance at having a rare white Christmas – here’s hoping! So many parts of North America are having exceptionally cold weather, so we hope everyone is able to stay warm and safe.
Snow means snowflakes, like paper snowflakes. Erika has covered many windows in our house with her gorgeous paper creations, the above is a negative photoshopped version I made of one of them. I wished to scan some for better results but did not want to disturb them, but have a look at the ones Erika posted.
And of course, snow also means real snowflakes or snowcrystals. Enjoy!
During this cold snap, I particularly love the phrase that Plutarch recently used: secret ministry of frost, which comes from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem Frost at Midnight.
Tuesday morning: Talk about localized weather behaviour and 10 more days of cold weather plus a snow storm coming on the weekend*! I should be careful what I wish for. A likely white Christmas but possibly challenging travel for everyone including our family.
*expired link has been removed
by Marja-Leena more witchiness
10:22 am
Thinking about witchy trees has been making me see even witchy seeds.
Last Thursday at dusk, before it was fully dark we were stunned by a huge bright full moon and it’s sparkling reflection over the water. Was it that bright moon that woke me about 3 am and had me wandering through the house spellbound by the bands of moonlight shining across the floors? Outside was bright with a cool light and a sparkle of a light frost on the deck railings… the first frost. What spirits kept me awake?
Making yet another cup of herbal tea in the kitchen still later, a very bright light in the eastern sky caught my eye. At first I thought it was an airplane coming in, but it did not move and was non-twinkling and too big to be a star, so it had to be a planet. Yes, the net told me it’s Venus and this full moon was actually the Hunter’s Moon!
What witchiness to keep me awake to watch the moonlight and planet light merging into the slow return of daylight and a spooky fog rolling in.
by Marja-Leena white
3:36 pm
Yesterday’s surprise when the clouds lifted: the mountain tops dressed in white. Beautiful – the first of this fall.
The weather report warned of a chance of frost overnight: I scrambled to take cuttings of some of my pelargoniums and bring in a few pots. No frost here last night. Today I potted up the cuttings, but have much more to do yet. Such a procrastinator am I, though I partially blame some uninvited guests (the rainy weather and this cold bug that is overstaying).