Welcome to Villa Emilia (My Woodland Garden), a photography blog with a slant towards gardening and nature. An amateur gardener and photographer, I hope to share beautiful moments with you through pictures. Let me know if you like them! ❤

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5.12.2015

The autumn song of the ice










Have you ever heard ice "singing"? It's those booms and cracking noises that are heard when (black) ice is freezing and thus expanding. Living by a northern lake, we can hear it every now and then. I will never forget a night last winter, when I was standing in the yard on the otherwise silent night admiring the unusually spectacular northern lights and listening the ice cracking.

A quotation from Outside magazine (online) describes these sounds: "Ice sings and plays music when it is in a dynamic phase of freezing or temperature change. The larger the lake, the more varied the sounds. (...) Fresh black ice growing on a large lake sounds remarkably like the recorded songs of whales at sea."

What I now call "song" is yet another thing. Temperatures around zero (Celsius) in these days, a thin layer of ice covers only part of the surface of the lake and there are cracks and floating pieces. The southwestern wind makes the little pieces of ice clink against one another... and this slightly melancholic jingle is the autumn song. :)

These photos are not very Christmassy (sorry!). Yesterday was dark and grey and a heavy snowfall was arriving. Nevertheless, the intricate forms created by ice caught my attention and looked artistic. I decided to turn the photos into black and white and increased the contrast in some of them.






















When spring comes and the ice breaks, we will again hear the tinkling chimes as the pieces of ice clink against each other before melting - and that will be the spring song. The sun will be shining and the sky will be blue. :)


23 kommenttia:

  1. The nature's graphic art... These could be displayed in some art gallery!

    VastaaPoista
  2. Oh, it does sound magical to listen to the 'ice song' whilst watching the Nothern lights... Very impressive images!

    VastaaPoista
  3. Hello, lovely images of the droplets and ice. My hubby and I have heard these cracking sounds coming from our lake..It is a weird sound. Gorgeous images! Have a happy weekend!

    VastaaPoista
  4. I've listened several ice songs while I was living in Siberia :) Also listened wind's operas, snow's ballads too :))
    Images are magical ♥♥♥

    Have a wonderful weekend and 2nd Advent!
    Hugs and kisses

    VastaaPoista
  5. Oh I do like your pictures as I love seeing ice formations! I don't think I've ever heard ice songs before. We have had strong storm winds so the only noise I can hear are creaks & groans as the wind howls around us!
    Have a lovely weekend!

    VastaaPoista
  6. I would love to hear the ice singing - the pictures look so much more dramatic in black and white - winter is very monochrome.

    VastaaPoista
  7. I would dread to hear such sounds in the UK, it would mean the most awful cycle to work ever! I love the ice shots, like the latest NASA ones of Pluto

    VastaaPoista
  8. Lovely pictures - they are almost a song in themselves. I love the tinkle of the freezing ice bits - and also the booming of ice on a suddenly colder day - it is a little disconcerting when ice skating on a lake and one hears the big booms - but fun at the same time.

    VastaaPoista
  9. Yes Sara I know songs of ice as well. In spring when I've been to Gulf of Finland the icy mountain melted and tinkling was heard.

    VastaaPoista
  10. Jään paukahdukset ovat aika pelottavia mielestäni... Upeat kuvat, Sara.

    VastaaPoista
  11. I thought your photos were well done and beautiful too. I'm relieved we rarely get deep freezes but I do wish we had more snow. Hope you are having a lovely day.

    VastaaPoista
  12. Beautiful!
    I am still!

    Love, Gerry

    VastaaPoista
  13. Very interesting post. Great photos. Have a blessed day. Madeline

    VastaaPoista
  14. Your photos tell a story, my friend, and your words are ever so poetical. This is one of my favorites from you, dear Sara :) Thank you for sharing and may you have a lovely Sunday. Hugs!

    VastaaPoista
  15. I like listening to the sound of the ice. Here in Béjar so far we have not come down to -0 ° but is already getting cold. we have good frost in winter night.
    Good Sunday.
    Besos.

    VastaaPoista
  16. These photos are gorgeous and.....it's not yet Christmas. I know the sound of cracking ice very well, such a shame we have not had frost already for two years now, I hope there will be ice in January.

    VastaaPoista
  17. Hello Sarah, my first visit to your lovely blog.
    Yes I do know the song of the ice as although I have lived in London the last 16 years I am originally from Norway and have lived both in northern Norway and in the south. Over here we never have snow for Christmas and if we get any snow at all it will usually be gone the next day. Gardening in London is rather nice though, all year, even in December and January :-)

    VastaaPoista
  18. Netin kauneimmat kuvat löytyvät aina blogistasi! Tänä aamuna tuulen ujellus kuulosti musiikilta korvissani. Luonto puhuu meille..

    VastaaPoista
  19. Wau, miten upeasti olet vanginnut pimeyden aarteet <3

    VastaaPoista
  20. I must go down to our lake this winter and listen for the song of the ice, had no idea there was more than just the cracking sounds. The ice forms many delightful pieces of artwork too, doesn't it?

    VastaaPoista
  21. I love your description of the ice singing, can almost hear it through your written words. Your photos are exceptionally beautiful!

    VastaaPoista
  22. Murtuvan jään ääni on kaunis. Siitä ajatuksesta tulee nyt ihana lisä talven
    ihailuun. Onpa mukava ulottuvuus :) (Kun emme vaan seiso vaarapaikassa
    jään murtuessa.) Kivaa tätä viikkoa !

    VastaaPoista
  23. These are some awesome ice shots. I didn't know that ice could sing! What a wonderful thing!

    VastaaPoista


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