Concocted images in ice formations

A close look at nature will reveal its ever-changing character. While investigating thin ice on water that had pooled in an old woodland truck track, I noticed this image. With my camera braced securely on a bean bag and the lens about two inches above this nature-made caricature of a dog's head, I snapped the picture.

A close look at the brow of the dog's head or the edge that forms the eye reveals that at some point during the night frost crystals had formed on the rim of the thin ice. These small crystals are called rime. The forming of rime on ice may seem unusual but is not uncommon.

In this case temperatures fell below freezing to form the thin ice. Later during the night the water level in the track receded slightly exposing an edge of the ice to open air. Moisture in the air (possibly light fog) then collected on the small rim of ice forming rime crystals.

Shaped by fallen leaves, shallow water, low temperatures and moisture in the air ... images like this one are fun to find on a crisp winter morning. An hour after photographing this image I went back to the spot and discovered this little treasure had melted.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell. Find this column at semissourian.com to order a reprint of the photo. Find more work by him at the Painted Wren Gallery.