Archives for: "February 2014"

The cup and the butterfly

February 25th, 2014
In early January, while visiting a cold, dry region, I saw this frost on a wooden fencepost. The pattern resembled a cluster of butterflies. In the shade, these "butterflies" were blue, reflecting the blue sky. In the sun, they were bright white: These… more »

Raindrops on ice

February 23rd, 2014
When water droplets land on ice, what happens? If the ice is at least several degrees below zero (celcius), the drops freeze quickly, and build up a whitish, bumpy surface. When the ice surface is heated to melting, the droplets vanish into the melt.… more »

Bending of branch and pond

February 11th, 2014
Bending bending bending                 The fir branches are bending                 They are waiting for more snow The famous Japanese poet Basho wrote a poem like the above, except it was about bamboo bending under the snow load. I was… more »

Hoar that grows down and out

February 9th, 2014
It had been a continued spell of cold days and nights, the ground snow-free, the air clear and dry. No film-frost on the cars in the morning, and no spikes of hoar frost sticking up on grass or post. The only signs of ice had been the frozen pond and… more »