Friday 15 March 2013

Strange happenings in the Snippets Playground

Yesterday morning I was almost hauled out of bed to 'Come and see the bird bath, it's amazing'. Yikes, and so it was too:
 First sighting.
 The water had frozen in ripples.
It was like a upside down five-sided pyramid - and so crystal clear.
And at such an angle too.

At first we pondered whether it could have fallen from a passing aircraft, but we're well away from the flight path. Had a bird dropped it? Unlikely as it was 4" tall and well embedded at about a 60 degrees angle into the frozen bird bath.

Then, little Miss Marple began searching the web for ideas and 'bingo' it was an ice spike. In other words - an upwards growing icicle or ice crystal!!

From what we can gather, they aren't exactly your every day occurance. It was quite beautiful and just like a piece of clear crystal. They grow due to 'super cooling' and need quite specific conditions to form it seems, our bird bath must have fitted the bill (so to speak).

We just put it down to being a fluke that we'd been lucky enough to see for ourselves, and watched sadly as later in the afternoon it melted right away - Len wouldn't let me put it in the freezer to keep :)

Here's some info. on Wikipedia I found.

Di
x

25 comments:

  1. Wow, that is amazing. Wonderful what nature can do x

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  2. Wow that's amazing Di - I'd never heard of them before. Great to document it in photos - not sure it would have survived in the freezer ;-)

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  3. "Fit the BILL" . . . ha ha ha . . . you crack me up.

    This is an amazing "Show 'n' Tell" Di . . . thanks for sharing.

    Hugs
    Sarn xxx

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  4. Awesome! Just shows how special the playground is eh!
    Lynne xxx

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  5. I'd like to see the g&t that goes with that ice cube lol.

    Nature is truly wonderful, I've never seen anything like that before, TFS.

    xxx

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  6. Nature never fails to amaze me - that is beautiful Di - well spotted. x Jo

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  7. How amazing, Di, I've never heard of an unpward growing icicle. Your photos look beautiful. I'm with you, i'd have wanted to put it in the freezer too!!
    Have a great weekend.
    Hugs Lisax

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  8. That's amazing, Di! If we needed any further proof that we live in a wonderful world then this would be it :) I'd have put it in the freezer too! Thanks so much for sharing. Hugs, Elizabeth xx

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  9. Amazing, I have never seen that before

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  10. I have NEVER heard of that (and you've got me checking the calender to make sure it's not April Fool's yet!!). It's amazing though isn't it? Lovely to see. I would have put it in the freezer too!

    Hugs
    Brnda

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  11. Oh WOW Di! It's fabulous - and so pleased you got a pic of it to share - amazing.

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  12. Mother Nature is amazing-
    lovely sculpture
    Hugs Tamara

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  13. I recently rewrote the ice spike article on wikiedia but it's short of good images.
    The pyramid you found in you bird bath is amazing and very rare
    I've only seen one similar one on the web at
    http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~smorris/edl/icespikes/Roy_WA_1.jpg
    Would you be willing to upload one of your photos to wikipedia so it can go in the article?

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  14. Wow Di! It is amazing what nature can do and in OUR Playground too!
    Like the note from Richerman!! Fame at last for the Playground <3
    xx

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  15. Wow what an amazing thing to have occurred in your own yard and you got to see it and capture it on camera. Lucky you.Neat!
    hugs
    Glenda

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  16. How gorgeous is that and so perfect too looks almost dropped in. Such a shame it has melted too. hugs, amanda x

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  17. Amazing Di. I have never heard of that before. Anne x

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  18. wow how amazing never seen anything like it before. TYFS
    Linbyx

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  19. OMG I know a celebrity!

    Actually that ice spike is pretty awesome! I'm with the poster that said where the G&T to go with!

    Nature is amazing and full of unexpected treasures.

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  20. COZMIC !!!! This is amazing :-D xxxx

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  21. D'you know what....... now she's famous we will have to pay to speak to her. hahahaha !!!

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  22. What a brilliant picture - and so cool (pun intended!! :-) that it's going to be included on Wikipedia!

    Debs x

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  23. Very cool looking! I've seen ice spikes on ice cubes before as a kid. I don't think I would have connected those small spikes on ice cubes with that big thing in the birdbath though.

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