Ice

Ice. What a novelty! I was privileged on New Year's Day to photograph a frozen pond in Ohio, and I enjoyed it very much! In my usual photographic realm (i.e., our yard), we do not have any large bodies of water, and therefore a frozen pond is something I had not previously experienced up close. New Year's Day changed that.

It had been warm on New Year's Eve. Due to this warmth, the ice on this pond had melted slightly. This caused the layer of ice to separate from the shore by about a foot.

I went down to the water, put my foot on the ice, and pushed down. Ripples emerged from beneath the ice quite a distance away, which fascinated me.  It was like a solid, flat boat floating on top of the water.

One other peculiar thing were the reflections caused by the semi-melted ice. The transparency of the ice and the space between it and the water caused reflections that looked like more ice beneath the water's surface.

Ice is a beautiful thing. So unique though. The ice I am used to is that which coats branches and power lines, breaking trees and causing destruction. This was not that kind of ice. This was a harmless, massive, smooth sheet, just floating happily on the water.

I couldn't help but wonder once again at God's creativity, to make this hard, slippery substance that only forms when the air gets cold enough. The whole surface of a pond, lake, or even a slow-moving river can be covered, and rendered impenetrable, simply because the temperature drops below a certain level.

Like I said, ice-covered ponds and lakes are not things I have been able to see up close very often. I greatly enjoyed this opportunity to observe yet another wonderful work of God--and photograph it!

"By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast" (Job 37:9-10 ESV).