The first real winter arrived late Saturday evening and early Sunday morning in the southern Rocky Mountains.  Although we had just an inch of snow on the ground here, ten inches fell in many of the mountain areas, and the variation in temperatures yielded beautiful crystalline ice in many places.  The sagebrush seed pods turned colors as the clouds moved across the sky, from yellow to almost a light green.  But the real bonus getting the creative juices flowing yesterday was the ice. 

Some of the same types of ice formations I had seen before, but the "creatures from outer space look" of snow melt freezing soon after contact was wonderful. This "ice claw" was the first creature I saw and photographed.

ice claw

In our seventeen years of living on the mesa, I had never seen this before.  A ice lace ornament, hanging from a very thin wisteria branch.

lace ice ornament

But the encapsulated seed pods of gaillardia looked very much like the Hollywood version of the heads of aliens.

seed head encased

I was taken by how clean and clear the water was that dripped onto the pods and froze.

seed head encased 2

I hope these jewels of winter find you healthy and content, with creativity flowing within and without.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@