Winter arrived suddenly and with a flourish in Scotland last year. Prolonged sub zero temperatures and heavy snowfalls began in early December. Predictably, councils ran out of grit, politicians blustered and fell on their swords, radio pundits put aside global warming and reminded us all that we are on holiday between ice ages, kids tabogganed on a school day, points froze and delivery services encamped at the border, shaking their heads and putting Christmas on standby for online shoppers. Disorder aplenty and I have heard many a sentiment of 'good riddance' as we put it all behind us. But before we turn our backs on winter let's not forget what an astonishing time of year the dark months can be for those who love the rationed light and whose Amazon packages can wait a while. We who ventured out were gifted some rare sights. Take these ice crystals for example, grown in temperatures of minus twelve in largely untrodden country near Aberfeldy. There will be a word for them in the Inuktitut tongues, I'm sure. If you know what it is, please share.
I had a very busy morning and a difficult afternoon at work. But now all is done, completed, finished and I decided that visiting your blog was going to lift me. And I was right. I have read 'Before we turn from Winter' with a smile on my face. I love snow, I love ice, I love the metallic scent of sub-zero temperatures as one comes back into the warm house. I like the twilight afternoons and dark blue light of the mornings. And I have fallen in love with your ice crystals photograph. So delicate, frozen in time, perfect! Thank you for lifting my soul. Keep writing and keep capturing our world in a different dimension of time...
ReplyDeletePs. I do not know what ice is in Inuktitut but as I was researching it I have learned so much about the people whose language it is. So, an education as well as pleasure.
It is remarkable and humbling to look first at your ice crystal photo, full screen, and examine its minute recurring patterns; and then at the backdrop to your page, with the snow laying in abundance.
ReplyDeleteRecently E was trying to grasp the idea of the size of the universe, and the first metaphor that came to her was that it is as large to us as we are to an ant. So we explored that a bit further! Upon reflection we together decided that people and ants are both so infinitesimal in ratio to the universe that by its measure, we are as small as the ants. And to that, I would add these ice crystals with their beautiful complexity which we also share.