Description

Ice Crystals and Arborvitaes

The frozen window of the kitchen, created beautiful branching shaped ice crystals that had parallels in the pattern of arborvitaes and also of the ferns.  The similarity of shape of the structures intrigued the artist.  The arborvitaes (aka tree of life) are coniferous evergreens and are common in North America.  Water is the source of life and might also be appropriately called aqua vitae (water of life).  However the term was used in the middle ages and renaissance in reference to all types of distillates of alcohol, including brandy, whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum, among many others.  Water used for baptism is  also referred to aqua vitae.

Cold water takes on a variety of formations and textures in both liquid and solid form. In addition a variety of crystallised forms are present.  In this instance crystallised iced under the same conditions have formed uniform branching structure with similar morphology resulting in a beautiful creation of nature.  One just has to look at the microcosms of the backyard and you will find little pieces of heaven and the miraculous earth such as this one.

On the day I photographed the image, the conditions were ripe. A  “bad” snowstorm in February 2016 with 8-12 inches of snow, was followed by a Valentines day of zero degrees Fahrenheit, and then followed a day later by a morning with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  Crystallised ice with fractal organization create the marvels of winter water but also within the plant kingdom.  The ice sculpture with this unique form would of course be transient, but a click of the camera and the special moment of time in nature was captured.

Related categories:  forces, shape, units to unity, time, bonds and connections, forces, water theme