THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

1 January 2015

FROZEN


The end of 2014 brought the best weather for me. The ground rang like a blacksmith's anvil underfoot and the glorious sunshine did nothing to thaw it. Sunrise is after 8.00am and the beauty of the landscape as it does so is staggering.












Ice marvels:













A magnificent Frost Flower emerged from a Beech round near Trigger's paddock:



Dead weeds become works of art:



Trigger's Magpie sidekicks are hungry:



GS Woodpecker too:


Welcome to a little glut of new followers! Terra, Mary, Chel and Saffron & Coriander. 

Jack, Snippet and OB love the ice too. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! XX




68 comments:

  1. Well you are right, the light at that time of the morning is stunning I can see it is VERY cold but it gives rise to these wonderful shots of the ice. They are wonderful. I am not surprised that OB and the dogs love the Moors. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your family.

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  2. Amazing those cristals of ice. The light over the landscape is wonderful. Cold, it realy looks cold but so beautyful. Love the horses and the Woodpecker found some treat.
    A promise for a wonderful new year.

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    1. Ice is miraculous stuff. I do love photography in winter!

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  3. Glorious Em! Happy New Year to you all :-)

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  4. Beautiful photographs Em....Happy New Year :-)

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  5. A lovely set of photos, Em. My faves- the frost flowers and the one that looks like snakes made of ice have set in the puddle. A Very Happy New Year to all of you from all of us xxx

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    1. You should have seen the undersides of those puddles once OB and his friend had ripped them up. I just can't imagine how they form! xx

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  6. Amazing how frost and ice on puddles make such brilliant photos. You are so clever to notice all these things

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    1. I spend a lot of time circling them trying to find the best angle with the light catching them just right!

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  7. Happy new year to you too Em- and to OB,
    Wonderful frost patterns.

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  8. Wonderful images of Dartmoor Em. How beautiful it looks in all weather conditions! Happy New Year to you too.

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    1. Did you have frost in Broadsands I wonder??? x

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  9. Some great images to start the new year off Em.
    Al the best for 2015.

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  10. Wonderful frozen ice and plant photos.
    Happy Happy New Year to you all.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Looks like you had your own freeze Parsnip. Not what I expect to see in Tucson! x

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  11. Stunning photos Em!!! So incredibly beautiful. I hope that you have a wonderful 2015 and that it brings only wonderful things to you and yours and especially to you and OB. xx

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  12. What wonderful, chilly photos!
    How are things with OB now? x

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    1. Good I guess but he's really tired after two nights of his friend staying. Anything out of routine throws him in that way. I'll be so glad to get back to normal! xx

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  13. Amazing photos - think you've had a bit more frost than us down in Kent. My favourites are the first two though, love the light on those ponies.

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    1. was lucky that pony had a such a conveniently long mane for catching the light Sue!

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  14. Hello Em! If I were you, I'd be out until all the frost and ice was melted taking photos of the ice and ponies--Your pictures are really amazing and beautiful! I've only seen pictures of frost flowers before, and you captured it perfectly!

    I hope you're continuing to enjoy good weather, and I wish you and your family all the very best for 2015! Happy New Year!!

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    1. You too Kim. We seem to have exactly the right conditions for frost flowers. I'd never seen them before living up here. They're always on Beech and always sodden so as to have enough water to create such beautiful shapes. They're really quite big. Happy new year!

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  15. Oh yes! this is Nature at her best perhaps - painting the landscape with frozen beauty.
    Dartmoor is ever changing, the weather, the plants, the ponies, the birds - and then along comes you and captures it all to share with us who know it, love it, but are now so far away. Thank you, thank you Em - my New Year feels better just looking at your lovely photos.

    Happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2015 - may it be your best year ever!
    Hugs - Mary in North Carolina

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    1. So different where you are. I'm really pleased to be able to transport you back here. x

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  16. Like the leafsicle.

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    1. The dogs seem to like them but not sure I fancy a lick.

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  17. Oh, that second shot seemed to bring the past to the present,for me.
    Jane x

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  18. The weather certainly took on an icy feel and your photos have captured this perfectly. Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year xx

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  19. Each photo more stunning than the next!
    So beautifully captured. Thank you thank you!
    And wishing you a wonderful 2015.
    The ice designs are quite magical.

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    1. I just wish I had a time lapse camera to see how they all form. Happy new year to you too Elizabeth. Am ripping through your book....x

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  20. Hi Em.....
    These are beautiful....makes me feel like I am right there!
    Best for 2015 for you and your family....
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. It always looks sunny in your world Linda! x

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  21. The frost flowers are amazing, but I love the shots across the moor with the stunning light.
    Happy New Year Em x

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    1. I'll be sorry when I miss the sunrise again. It's been a revelation this year. xx

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  22. Almost you could lure me out in the frosty morning--almost.
    Those beautiful photos of the frost patterns could be next year's greeting cards!

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    1. The dogs have to be walked so I HAVE to go out in it! I'm hoping for some snow to photograph MM but nothing yet.

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  23. Frost always fascinates me in photos .
    Happy New Year Em !

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    1. I could photograph it every day Willow but the boring summer must come again. Lucky we have zoom lenses for the wildlife in summer!

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  24. I used to love to walk when we had a hard freeze (or frost). Your photos are gorgeous, loved the first two the best!

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  25. As ever your pictures are simply stunning x Dorset is a beautiful place but I'm still totally jealous of where you live xx Hope your New Year was good and the rest of the year is good to you x

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    1. Dorset is beautiful and quintessentially English countryside I think. I spent all my childhood summer holidays there so I love it too. x

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  26. Beautiful photos of Dartmoor - I love the frosted seedheads! Happy New Year to you and your family :)

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  27. Pure magic Em! A very happy new year to you and your son. Best wishes - Mark

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  28. so many beautiful images. that sun illuminated everything so nicely. i love how on of those ice formations look like a leaf. incredible scenery. thanks so much for dropping by even though i've been missing in action for awhile. have a great night~

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    1. I've been missing in action too recently N so I know what you mean!

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  29. Oh Em, your photos always brighten my day, thank you so much for sharing xx

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  30. Em - these are beautiful photographs - I love the winter landscape for photogprahy as it is just so much more interesting than a cloudless summer's day!
    Thank you for sharing them with us all - Lily xxx

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    1. I completely agree Lily. Summer is BORING to photograph! xx

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  31. Happy New Year Em. These images are so lovely it must have been wonderful walking on Dartmoor and seeing these sights. Your rainbow in your last post took my breath away too. Sarah x

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    1. That rainbow took my breath away too....in real life. Happy new year. xx

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  32. I love the backlit ponies. Such a great shot. And those ice sculptures - I spent hours as a child admiring them, trying to take them up and home - and was always so sad when they melted.
    You said I might not see bugs in the snow here - but during the day the Painted Ladies were still flying around. One was smart - it learned to join the hummingbirds at the feeder. We take those feeders inside at night so they don't freeze because it would kill the little birds to be so cold and without food in the morning. Happy New Year to you - I hope to travel in GB some time and see your moors

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    1. Amazing about the Painted Ladies! You're welcome to pop in for a cup of tea if you make it over here Margarethe.

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  33. Happy New year to you too (belatedly - I've been away). Lovely photos, but made me shiver!

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    1. Lovely to have you back BB. Happy new year to you too. x

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  34. Happy New Year my lovely. I always want a new camera when I pop over here as your pictures are sooooo beautiful. I will just have to make do with my blurrry efforts for another year though, sob sob ;)

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    1. My little point and shoot thing still takes the best macro shots so try that first and they may not be blurred! Happy new year to you too. x

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