Sunday, January 15, 2006

Cracking Ice

A couple of days ago, we went from +8C to -15C overnight, colder with the windchill. With the change in temperature, and the melting associated with the above seasonal values, there's the potential for the formation of what I call cracking ice. This is one of my favourite things to do on a walk, usually in early Spring when the temperatures are variable. What happens is that the melted water pools in crevices, then freezes overnight, leaving a dry thin layer of ice that's good for cracking. It's partly the sound that ice makes when it cracks, partly the pleasure of cracking, and also of finding a good piece of cracking ice. It's a simple pleasure, and has gained me a few odd stares over the years.

Which I ignore.

More for me.

Crack.

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