As difficult as it can be when Mother Nature throws abhorrent weather at us there is usually an up-side. A magical beauty that can’t be achieved in any other way. If you take the time to look around carefully you might be surprised. And if you put on your woolies and come wading through the crunchy topped snow , bruising your shins as you break through and bending your body to the crust you might see something like this. And you will be charmed. The spell will be broken only by the numbness creeping through your limbs.
All images © Karen McRae
draw and shoot 
Great shots Karen. Really beautiful…almost makes me want cold weather. Here I am with a great new camera and hardly a bit of frost in sight! grrrr
Thanks Helen, shall I send you some snow?!
Love the detail in all of these shots!
Thank you Cat.
great detail!
Hi Karen – love the queen anns lace seed head incapsulated in ice – that is a gorgeous shot! But hope you are ok – our region has had its bout with horrific ice storms and they are not fun. Take care! Kathleen
Thank you Kathleen, this was just freezing rain (and snow and ice pellets) not in the ice storm category but we have experienced some crazy ice storms in the past.
Wao ! They are beautiful !
You got Magic finger to capture the subtle colour.
Aw thank you Yoshizen. 🙂
These are tremendous! The magnification of the ice in some of them creates little worlds almost. Very creative shots, Karen!!
I was thinking that too Steve. thank you.
brilliant…best ive seen this week.. 🙂
That is very kind of you. Much thanks.
Your pictures do have a delightfully light touch. These are super images.
Thanks Louis.
wow Karen! I think this is my favourite series of images this winter! They are so so beautiful. The second photo pulled me in immediately – so stunning. It reminds me of glass work – intricate, delicate, detailed hand blown glass. And the detail on the 5th photo – ahh extraordinary! I am definitely charmed and there is something about the numbness from winter that doesn’t bother you as much, when you stumble on gems (like these) to photograph. Congrats and thanks for braving it out there!
Oh thank you so much Marina! I’m happy you like them. 🙂
Incredible pictures, Karen, really.
Thank you Antonio.
That first photo is fantastic, it totally got my attention to the rest of the post and thank god it it…what a great set of photos with an amazing quality
Thanks so much Filipe.
Gorgeous as usual Karen. Your work is magical.
Aw, I’m glad you think that Shari. 🙂
Oh Wow!!! Just wow!!! 🙂 **
🙂
As a Californian, I get few chances to experience winter’s extremes. I never dreamed that this is what ice and snow could look like. Does the ice really encase every single bit of the tree? I never knew. It’s like an alien vista to me.
When we get rain and the temperature is below freezing it can coat everything in ice. If we get a lot of freezing rain it can be rather dangerous, but amazing to look at once the sun comes out. Sometimes every tree and surface is ice covered. It usually melts away or evaporates in a couple of days
these are gorgeous!
Splendid.
Breathtaking!
These are so cool! I especially like that squiggly 6th image. Most fascinating, in small scale or large! Keep warm, please!
And that 5th image…reminds me of Bette Midler’s ‘The Rose’ for some reason 😉
That’s cute, I kind of know what you mean. 🙂
It’s the little things that make you appreciate the big picture.
Incredible pictures, super¡
Lovely photos! I love ice and snow.
These are so beautiful. The photographs sure bring back memories of growing up where it snowed.
Wow Karen, these are simply too stunning for words! So beautifully delicate in their elegance…You should be really proud of this series as it truly is something special, and it reminds us of the beauty in the world, which is something we tend too forget all too easily…Wonderful.
Thank you so much JP. I’m touched by your comment.
Yes, I would agree, most definitely; there is certainly something unique and savory about light. I am fond of darkness, too, and the moon and stars in which it hosts, but when I think of light, or more specifically, when I see how it is captured, I am breath taken by its beauty and splendor. These pictures, Karen, aptly portray all that light endeavors to be. Thank you for sharing,
Blessings,
Cara
Magic !!!!
They are so beautiful, they almost make me cry! Such stillness too – it’s like a mediation looking at them. Thankyou:)
Thank you Gigi. 🙂
What a gallery!
Those are amazing.
Oh my God, just “wow”, Karen! I loved these. It’s not cold here that much, so I think I have never seen this happening. Thanks for sharing. It was an awesome experience, spell bounding! 🙂
Ah, Nandini ,I am happy to share these with you, and thrilled you like them.
Wow, thank you everyone for the feedback. I’m happy these little ice sculptures are appreciated.
They are beautiful, Karen. It has been several years since we have had an ice storm, but the sights are so magnificent. Thank you for sharing them. 🙂
Thank you Shez! I’m happy you like them.
More gorgeous – albeit frozen – shots!
Yes, the first installment. thank you.
Absolutely stunning and imaginative photos. I really love them.
I am happy you arrived here then, thank you so much.
I was glad to see you featured on the front page this week. I’ve been loving these iced over closeups. I can’t tell you the amount of time I would pick up and examine frozen vegetation. Fine work as always. Your eye for indefinite beauty continues to appeal to and stick with me.
Aw, thank you Posky. Much appreciated. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Great, again. Second one is my favorite in this set…but they’re all perfect.
Aw, thanks Cindy. 😀
Your rain drop shots are amazing!! Well all your work is wonderful.
you have an amazing eye, these images are quite haunting!
I keep coming back here… Sooooooooo beautiful, frozen yet so warm!