Picspam: Last night's ice storm

Before Valentine's Day, we hadn't had an ice storm in years. Now we've had another one on St. Patrick's Day. The weather feels like celebrating this year, I suppose.

It has come to my attention that some of you have never seen an ice storm or even heard of one. You're missing out! They happen when supercooled rain freezes on impact, leaving everything from the ground to the treetops coated in smooth, clear ice and dripping with icicles. If a lot of ice accumulates, branches and telephone wires sag under the weight. When the sun comes out, the world sparkles. It's simple, it's dangerous, and it's beautiful.

The tricky thing about ice storms around here is that it's usually warm enough that when the sun comes out, the ice melts, so you're left with only a narrow window to gaze in delight and to snap photos. My digital camera leaves a lot to be desired too, so these shots really don't do the sight in our yard this morning justice.

Nevertheless. For those of you who love ice storms or want to know what one/ours looks like, ( here are some glimpses of the remnants of last night's storm. )

ETA: Sunny and melting all over the place. ( Two more shots. )