Monday, December 23, 2013

Locked in Ice ... Photo Intense!

On Saturday we got a bit of freezing rain, which coated all the trees in glittery finery.  It was pretty, and I took a few photos in our backyard.
 
 
My favourite white pine, which is a great privacy screen from my backyard neighbour.

 
Another neighbour's beautiful big birch tree looked amazing (centre background).  This tree never fails to delight me :)
 
 
But the rain kept falling, the temperatures fell below 0C and stayed there.  The ice kept forming.  Yesterday, things looked a little less pretty, and more .... hmmm ... sinister.
 
 
The beautiful birch tree, which I love to see in all the different seasons, has been destroyed by the ice.  Tops all broken off by the weight of the ice.  It was so sad to see its broken bones stabbing into the dark morning sky.
 
Everything is locked in ice.  Not a breath of air is moving even the tiniest of branches.  Frozen solid.
 
 
My own pine tree has taken another beating.  Where it lost a limb in a wind storm in the summer, another limb has been lost to this ice storm.
 
 
Broken trees are everywhere in our neighbourhood.  The sound of chainsaws fills the air.
 
 
My pine's limb has crashed again into my old lilac bush.
 
 
The entire pine tree looks like it's being ripped in two.

 
Smaller branches have been ripped out of the trunk and lie frozen into the ground.

 
All the whiteness on the tree is ice, not snow.  I tried to shake the branches to break off some of the ice, but not one little shard of ice fell to the ground.  Nothing will end its agony until the sun can melt it off.


 Hang in there old pine, hopefully today we'll see clear skies and sun to help you heal.

 
As sad as this makes me, I couldn't resist slipping and sliding around on top of the thick crust of ice to take a few pictures.  Everything has changed from ordinary to extraordinary ...
 
The weathervane atop the garden shed ... no wind will turn it today.
Towering poplar behind us ... looking a little droopy :[

 
Ice is thick on every stalk, every branch, every piece of wire ...

 


Even a bit of chicken wire becomes an art form.
 


 
 
 
a tiny rose hip transformed to glass crown
 


Tiny leaves encased in crystal.

 
This is what the pine tree is holding on every needle.
 
Coneflowers

Burning Bush


Amazing ice sculptures.

 
The evergreen in the front is holding up a bit better than the pine in the back.

Just the very tippy top is starting to be pulled over.


Weeping Pea looks beautiful encased in ice, but so brittle.  The steps are so precarious and no amount of salting melted the ice, as the rain drizzled down most of yesterday.

 
 
Worst of all was that our family Christmas dinner was cancelled yesterday.  My nephew was going to host it this year, and they had no power.  Our power has been flickering on and off for two days, but thankfully it's holding on (although the hydro wires are heavy with ice too).   We all would've had to travel a fair distance on the highways, and although I know the highways were probably the safest route (we have an amazing fleet of snow & ice removal vehicles here in the GTA), the risk was still to great for anyone to want to venture out of town.  I heard emergency vehicle sirens continuously while I took these photos ... I can't imagine the accidents out there.
 
 So we all stayed put.  At least all I had to deal with was enough scalloped potatoes to feed 20 people, two dozen mincemeat tarts and a large green salad.  My sister had a 20-lb turkey roasting in the oven and no one coming to eat it :[ 
 
Hope your weather is safe for your travelling this week.  We'll be staying snug inside ... maybe this little black squirrel would like to join us?
 
 
Merry Christmas!
 
Wendy
 

26 comments:

  1. Those photo's are amazing Wendy, I am shivering just looking at them, what a shame ice brings so much destruction, I hope it thaws soon, stay indoors snug and warm, I hope the electricity holds out and you and your family have a lovely Christmas. xxx

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  2. You took some beautiful photos but it's so sad to see the damage to the trees. We've lived in areas that got hit hard by the ice and I know how bad it can be. I hope you stay safe and snug. Merry Christmas my friend!

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  3. The ice does make some magical scenery but I can live without it. I do not want that kind of destruction in my yard and I like keeping the lights on too!! I am not much of a winter person anymore.

    Your photos of the frozen rose hips are my favorite!! I hope you and all of your family stay safe in the ice storm. Merry Christmas, Wendy!

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  4. Beautiful winter photos, Wendy! But I hope you keep yourself warm inside.

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  5. Oh Wendy, it looks beautiful and you obviously have a lovely garden, but so sad about the damage. You will clear it though in time and plants and trees will grow again. Sorry you had to cancel your lunch, that was a shame. I hope that you can all get together again soon. Well stay safe dear Wendy. Happy Christmas and New Year to you and all your family. xx

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  6. WOW! Amazing! I read your post and kept scrolling back through the photos. I've never seen so much ice! Unbelievable! I hope you get some relief soon. Your photos of the rose hip and other close ups of plants encased in ice are so interesting to look at. Stay warm and safe!

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  7. Wow, the ice is impressive. I'm sorry to see the damage, though. Sorrier still about the changes of plans for the holiday. I hope everyone is able to get around soon and that the holiday will still be a good one. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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  8. Awesome photos Wendy-Ice does create beauty-but it can also cause problems. we are still covered in ice as well, I am off to grab the camera-I think your ice is a little thicker-

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  9. Oh Wendy Mother Nature sure knows how to try our patience, Beautiful photos but very sad to see the trees broken..hope you manage to see your family soon
    Yuletide Greetings to you my dear
    Thea xxx

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  10. Wow, love the photos! Especially of the close ups of the icy flowers, so perfectly encased in an ice-bath. We've had rain here, too, but the temp has soared into the 60's. So weird! Just doesn't feel like Christmas! xo-Sonia

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  11. Gosh... I've never seen anything like that before. Your photos are amazing Wendy and it does all look incredibly beautiful. But stay safe and warm!

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  12. It's pretty, but it sucks!
    We still have power...other problems not connected to the storm but we still have power (woohoo).
    Jane x

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  13. Brrrrr! Ooh Wendy, I feel for you ... Though very beautiful I can only imagine hw cold it must be! Sad that you didn't have your family get together, but good that you're all safe and sound. Take care, wrap up, and have a fab White Christmas!

    Love Claire xxx

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  14. How sad to see the damage caused by such beauty! What terrible conditions you are enduring right now Wendy - I do hope everything warms up and the destruction is not as bad as it seems right now - I send you warm thoughts and love and hope your Christmas will brighten up considerably! Joy xo

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  15. The ice sculptures on each little thing are so pretty, but the over all picture and damage that ice causes is terrible. So sad to see a big tree like that just broken. Hope the sun melts things soon! Stay warm!
    Merry Christmas!

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  16. What a shame that your dinner was canceled. We have had similar tree carnage here. One major tree may now have to come down completely. We were lucky with the power and were only without overnight. We have a huge cleanup job to do however. The yard is littered with huge fallen branches. On a lighter note- have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the new year.

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  17. Firstly, it looks magical and secondly I'm so sorry it's caused such havoc! Such a shame about you family meal, I do hope you manage to have a lovely Christmas.....regardless! :) x

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  18. wow looks incredible but sounds terrible !! hope you manage to have a nice peaceful Christmas...Gail x

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  19. Wendy,

    Your photos of this 'Dr. Zhivago' ice storm are absolutely spectacular!! I am sorry to hear of your ruined plans, but am glad that you still have power and are safe and snug. Yesterday, after not having heard from my daughter or my sister, (we talk every day!), I thought something must be wrong. Well, it wasn't long before I learned that my sister's home in Unionville, where my daughter is staying, was one of half a million in Ontario to have been hit with a power outage due to the ice storm!! They have been without electricity since early Sunday morning and it is still not restored! They have been sleeping with several layers of clothing and their coats, lighting the fireplace to stay warm during the day, but are packing a few belongings and the giant turkey my sister had bought, and heading into Toronto, as I write this, to spend the next few days with my brother and his wife, where they will spend Christmas, along with my parents.

    I have been glued to CP24 Live online, and can't believe all the damage! Hope you are well. Stay warm!

    Merry Christmas!

    xo
    Poppy
    PS: So strange how something so exquisitely beautiful can cause so much damage!

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  20. Dec. 27th

    Oh I am so sorry for all the damage!!!!!!!!

    But thank you, for the lovely photos of up-close-ice-covered-Beauty.

    Hope you have continued to have power and remain warm. Please, an update soon....? So we know you still have power? Please and thank you.

    Tessa~
    'Here there be musing' blog

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  21. Oh dear Wendy ... the weather seems to be ruining Christmases on both sides of the Atlantic.

    I find ice storms endlessly fascinating so really enjoyed these images, although not the poor trees' suffering ... ice storms are very rare here in the UK so they have an added novelty where we Brits are concerned.

    Wishing you and yours much peace and joy in the year ahead, and better weather!

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  22. My goodness Wendy that is some ice you guys have there! I am praying that your pine makes it through! Though that was quite a storm you captured so much beauty in your photos! WOW! And your house looks so cozy for the season! I am sorry that your dinner was canceled but it is so much better than someone getting in an accident! Cheers to you friend and a Happy New Year!! Nicole xoxo

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  23. Hi there Wendy,
    Fantastic creatively taken photos. Just beautiful and amazing. I felt a little sad about all your big trees breaking limbs. I hope they recover.
    Where I am in New Zealand we don't get icicles like that in winter. The best we can do is a one off frost. We get all the rain though!
    Take care of yourself,
    Lisa x x

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  24. Hi Wendy, what beautiful picture of the ice! Please be careful and stay warm. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year.
    Julie at Julie's Lifestyle

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  25. Oh my Wendy- I don't know here to start! I am so sorry that your tree got hit like that but hopefully with warmer weather weather coming in, it'll perk right up!! But your photos... wow! They are just beautiful. I have never seen anything like this in real life and while it's odd to say, I am so jealous of your back yard! I'm crazy I know... but your photos are amazing! Stay warm my friend, Hazel x

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