Although we’ve not had any snow this winter (I’m hoping for some today!) we have had plenty of frost.
When we have a big heavy frost it lays all day in the back of the house where the sun doesn’t shine this time of the year.
I can look down through the holler and the frost just sparkles in the places where the sun hits.
Before we updated our windows on the coldest days we had frost on the inside of them too.
I took Granny to an early morning appointment yesterday. The low at our house was 14 with a big frost on the ground.
As we got out of the car to go into the building Granny pointed out the delicate design of the frost pattern on the back door of my car. I teasingly told her Jack Frost had sure been painting some pretty pictures for us.
Around the edges of our driveway and on the steep bank behind our house needle frost forms. At least that’s what I’ve always called it.
Moisture is sucked out of the ground in long spikes or needles of ice. It’s so delicate that it is easily broken. When I was a girl I loved to stomp it and hear the satisfying crunch, but today I’d much rather marvel at its beauty.
The frost often pushes up little rocks and pieces of dirt with it which leads to a soupy mess of mud when things begin to thaw out.
In winters where we have long spells of hard freezes and heavy frosts followed by warmer temperatures our driveway becomes a sea of mud that is hard to navigate. Pap and Granny’s does the same thing. Pap used to say we needed a good hard rain to wash the mud away.
There’s a rare type of frost called frost flowers. I’ve never seen it but have aways wanted to.
Last night’s video: Shed Town Trip & Matt’s Looking Out for Me.
Tipper
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This is my first year to see Hoar Frost and Needle Ice. We didn’t know what it was so we put it out on Facebook and that is what we were told. Then, we Googled it and sure enough, that picture is exactly what we had!
One time we were on Purple Heart Highway in Clarksville, Tennessee and I noticed what looked like packing material or Styrofoam all along the side of the road. My wife and I stopped to pick it up and we realized it was ice coming out of the stems of these plants that we later found out were called frost weed. The most amazing curled sheets of ice I’d ever seen in my life. Look it up on the Internet, you’ll see pictures of it. God is an amazing artist.
These frost needles are new to me. Aren’t we glad we take time to see God’s hand in the beauty of simple things? Frost flowers form around here, especially nearer the lake, but I have yet to get to see one in person. I think they form in split milkweeds. God makes lace from ice and makes nature’s jewelry from dew drops and ice crystals. I praise Him for these and many things!
I had never heard of frost flowers until we moved here to the Missouri Ozarks two years ago. I was driving on a country road headed to an early morning appointment in late October the first fall we were here. I started seeing all this white fluffy stuff strewn along the road. I thought it was trash and was disappointed that someone would have thrown all of that fluff along the road. As I drove along, I saw more and more. Finally, I just had to pull over and get out to investigate more closely. I wasn’t sure what I was looking at, and had to touch one. I was so surprised when it melted as soon as I touched it. I took several pictures and when I got home, looked it up online. Now I know to look for frost flowers in late fall/early winter. They’re so beautiful!
Growing up, I heard people say the ground was “spewed up” when there was frost like you’re talking about.
We got 3 inches (plus/minus 1″) It was pretty to look at from around daylight until mid-morning. Then, it warmed up a little and rained some. We now have mush and I am sure it will be a mess in the morning, secondary roads especially. Stay warm and safe.
We got a good 9 inches of snow here last weekend and with the cold it’s hardly melted at all. We’ve got another 1-5 inches coming later today, so the weather man says. The kids are sure loving it. It’s been 7 degrees the past couple mornings when I go out to open the coop. My chickens wouldn’t leave the coop for 3 days!
I loved when. you were Driving to Lowes the other day if the whit on the mountain was snow or ice. The Deerhunter said ice
I was beautiful
Good morning everyone. We have about 3.5 inches of snow, and still lightly coming down. But when this is gone, I’ll have to look for the needles. I’m in the upper Delta so we have a lot of ground moisture. Tipper you are always teaching me something new. Looks like you will get some snow, be careful sledding though. Anna from Arkansas.
Here comes the snow in Clinton, TN. Meteorologists said it would start between 10-12 and they nailed it!!
Tipper I hope it snows enough in Brasstown for you to sled but please try to avoid the ER.
I’ve never seen frost flowers but seen my share of long spike needles!!
Everyone stay safe and warm today.
Today would be my daughter’s birthday, she would be 45 years old. When she and her mother came home from the Anderson, SC hospital a couple of days later it was sleeting and maybe snowing but I don’t remember having any accumulation. It has only been snowing for a little over an hour at my home but the ground and country road in front of my home is already white. It is the prediction of freezing rain this afternoon that concerns me.
First of all, I do hope you get snow for Tipper’s sake:) We do have snow here in SC PA about 28 miles from the Maryland line. We may get another inch tonight, I will put out a bowl to catch some fresh snow for snow cream in case we do get it. As for me, I’ve had enough:)
Matt you were really smart to think ahead and put in that extra line for electric. My husband thought ahead and had a water line run under the sidewalk out back in case we put in a big garden we wouldn’t have to break up the concrete sidewalk to connect to the water at the house. One of the carpenters building our house said he wished he had thought of that because he did have to tear out concrete to get to his house. And like others have mentioned, Matt, you might think about making that shed a little larger:)
Randy, hoar frost is like freezing fog. Im not sure if it’s the same. Everything is like it has white whiskers and it looks like diamonds yet the atmosphere is foggy. So beautiful! I will be praying for your grandson.
I have saw hoar frost but not very often
I meant to add this in my comment to you, Jack Frost is frost needles that spew up out of the ground, a lot of times seen in bare spots of red dirt.
I’ve seen a few frost flowers, and they are beautiful! When I was young, I used to love walking around and crunching the frost under my feet when the ground was hard, and I still enjoy seeing a heavy frost. They are calling for snow, freezing rain and ice in my neck of the woods also. I pray everyone stays warm and safe.
The news today says we will get heavy snow around my area of NC, so I figure you will get your snow for sure Tipper. My heart and prayers go out to those who are still struggling living in tents in Western NC. Let’s add in prayer those out in California who have now lost their homes to fire. May God heal our land.
We used to get some VERY cold winters and LOTS of snow during the winter months where I grew up, and the Lord would ‘sketch’ frost patterns on the inside of some windows that would be just beautiful! The patterns would look like delicate floral petals, and fern like leaf patterns and even ‘trees.’ I loved the winters back then, but now as I grow older, the cold seems to go right into the bones.
May you get your spell of snow Tipper so you can sled, but I pray for those who are still living in tents and struggling to rebuild from Helene.
Good morning. It was 6 degrees around 9 this morning. Our giant oaks and other trees have so much snow on them that you can’t see through the woods. It is beautiful! More snow predicted for this afternoon, as we have another winter weather advisory. I love the frost photos you posted today and the icicles at the creek yesterday. They are wonderful to look at closely and just enjoy their beauty. I suppose I should finally take my Christmas tree down today. I just love the lights in the evening—maybe I will leave it up till tomorrow. lol.
Good morning Tipper. I sure hope you get the snow you’re wanting so it gets off your mind and under that sled!! I drove for so many years in horrible snow storms. I never had a boss that cared about employees being safe. Many times my drive home would take two or three hours because it was so slippery. On clear days that would take twenty minutes. A forecast of a couple of inches was ignored because our normal amounts were at least six inches and more. One time we had a heavy mist which froze fast. I remember driving up a long bridge at a big incline and found myself going backwards. The black ice was imperceptible. As I looked back I could see a large pod of cars coming up to meet me. I quick put on the flashers to let them know I wasn’t in control. The Grace of God happened several seconds later and a pickup truck came up softly behind me and pushed me up the long incline! So now that I’m retired, I pray for everyone that has to be on the roads in inclement weather. My heart goes out to them! Y’all take care now!
Caye, I was like you and some others, for 38 years the employees at Michelin were expected to be at work, no exceptions because of snow. Today they shut down all of their SC plants at 7:30 this morning because of the snow, the first time I can remember them doing this in their 50 years of being in SC. I think one reason for this was because of many employees having wrecks, getting bummed up and being out of work longer than a day or two if the had just went ahead and closed during the last storm. Snow is pretty, fine and dandy and enjoyable if you can sit at home by the fire and drink a cup of coffee or hot chocolate but a real hardship for the ones that have to keep going and can’t do this.
Nothing is satisfying about the crunch I hear when I walk on this snow and ice that’s been hanging around for a week waiting for more to join it today. On my trip to town, I took pictures of all the damage caused by the ice storm not knowing I would capture twinkling diamonds clinging tightly to every limb. The beautiful sight made me forget the ugly scene below. The first time I saw frost flowers, I didn’t know what they were, but the image was breathtaking as they transformed my lane into a magical fairyland. A big bowl of snow cream is what Granny needs to make her feel better!
We had 4 inches of snow here in Central Oklahoma. It’s so beautiful to see what God provides in nature. Wherever the snow and ice is located, I pray for the power to stay on especially for people who need it for health reasons.
To add to my earlier comment, a “skiff of ice” is a thin layer of ice that forms across a pond or puddle when the ground is above freezing and the air is below. Sometimes the water below the ice drains into the soil and leaves the ice suspended across it. When you step on it you get the desired crunch without the accompanying splatter.
When the dairy was operational, during cold weather the windows in the milk tank room looked exactly like fern leaves. I always wondered if it was some flaw in the plexiglass manufacture that caused the frost to form that way.
Frost is beautiful. I think it’s God’s way of telling us he’s always here even in cold weather.
I hope Granny’s appointment went well, praying for her.
I hoping for snow but we’re forecast for snow rain mix. Hope you get to sled.
Tipper–Our late friend and your avid reader Ken Roper had a wonderful description for a big frost: “There was a frost heavy enough to track a rabbit in.” I always thought that was wonderfully descriptive. I miss the man, as I’m sure you do.
We call that “mush ice”. There’s some in my yard and a lot in my garden. The phrase does appear in The Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English but with a slightly different meaning. It’s meaning is the same as what we refer to as a skiff of ice.
The ice is pretty! We are getting snow in Monroe, Ga. Close to 3 inches so far. I hope you get yours so you can sled down the driveway. I don’t have any hills around here!
Jack Frost does create some beautiful works of art.
Surely you have snow by now. The ground here is almost covered. Pretty but I dread the wintry mix we’re supposed to get later today. That’s a sure recipe for broken tree limbs and power outages.
I have many many frost pictures. I can’t resist no matter if it’s from a distance or up close. I’m always awestruck at the delicate beauty. Never seen frost flowers that I know of but now I’ll be paying close attention. Everyone be safe.
Yep, the ground down as far as frost has formed does turn to mush when the frost goes out. But it is a design feature of creation in that the ground gets a form of ’tilling’. And about now is the time to see those ribbons of ice along the stems of summer weeds like horse weed and wild artichoke. We are starting to get a little bit white here on the north side of the Chattahoochee (Lake Lanier) at Gainesville, GA. We had no snow at all in winter 23-24 and I think 22-23 as well. An old man I worked with many years ago said snow made for a good garden year. Both snow and rain has nitrogen in them and snow is better than hard rain at having the melt water soak in and recharge soil moisture.
Ron I have heard my Daddy and other farmers say a good snow was the same as putting nitrogen on a field.
Yes, Jack Frost can leave a pretty calling card. Saw a spider web once with frost on it. It was quite beautiful!
We woke up to a rare beautiful snow here in the Ozarks of Arkansas. We have about 8 inches. It’s unbelievably beautiful! I saw frost flowers for the first time just a few weeks ago. I had heard of them but never seen any. They are a gift from the Lord. Hope you get a great snow! Thank you for taking time to write for us.
Oh, Tipper- I saw frost flowers for the first time in my 63 years back in December. My daughter and I were driving from Chattanooga to Knoxon I-75N and from about Cleveland to the Louisville exit we had to take, frost flowers were on both sides of the interstate as well as in the median. But because we had never heard of them, we couldn’t figure out what it was. Honestly, it looked like trucks hauling loads of cotton had left their doors open as they traveled both north and south. Remember- ewe were going about 60 mph so couldn’t get a good look. We put on our thinking caps and reasoned that it couldn’t be something blown around because it wasn’t caught in hedgerows the way litter would have been. We planned to stop somewhere on our way back for a closer inspection. But heading home about 4 hours later, there wasn’t a single one left, which led me to believe it had been the frosted webs of ground spiders, which had sparkled while it was 29 degrees (our first really cold morning) but had melted as the temperature rose. Then, that very afternoon, I saw an Instagram post about frost flowers from a naturalist in the upper Midwest and it dawned on me that our mystery was well and truly solved!
Now I long to see them up close someday. Oh, and it’s snowing here right now and the birds are telling me to put down my phone and fill up their feeder.
some of them Frost needles down on the creek Bank, my good Lord keep Us safe well and warm and keep the power on, six inches of snow is expected, God bless you friends, God bless you very much, God bless Granny Wilson
We have had frost flowers right up to yesterday here in northwest Arkansas. They are beautiful and delicate.
Tipper, we have had the pleasure of seeing a few frost flowers and they are so beautiful!! I hope you can see them one day. God’s canvas is a marvel to behold.
Tipper, yesterday we had a hoarfrost. It was so beautiful. Everything looked like it was covered in tiny diamonds. The trees, bushes, our porch railings, everything. It was so cold, but I had to get out and look around at the beauty of it. I believe the Lord gives us these wonderful gifts to marvel at His creation and just because of His great love for us.
Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures.
Have a blessed day everyone! I pray y’all are warm and safe!
If we are talking about the same thing, I have always heard it called Jack Frost. It would especially be in red dirt road banks. I am sure I could have found some this week because of the early morning temperatures being in the teens.
Just looked at the weather radar, looks like Norman and maybe some others in northern Georgia are already getting snow and it will soon be knocking on Tipper’s door, maybe around 9 o’clock for me. After working 38 years and Michelin never shutting down because of snow, my son came home from his job at Michelin yesterday and told me Michelin was shutting down at 7:30 this morning and might start back up at 11:30 Saturday morning depending on road conditions.
I am asking I think Debbie saying she was sorry and maybe some others to go back to yesterday and read my reply to her. I was joking when I wrote “please stop praying for snow”, it never crossed my mind to think of anyone being selfish. I once saw a picture of a church sign covered in snow having that wrote on it. I hope everyone that wanted snow can enjoy it, I am afraid it is going to turn more into an ice event for my area later on today. All of my boys will be safe at home except for one grandson, I will be worried about him.
I wrote back at Christmas about Armstrong heaters, with this cold weather and now snow, I am looking for at least one, hopefully more, anyone know where I can find one. Are there any volunteers?