First Frost

This morning was bright and cold. Frost crystals rimmed the leaves and crunched under foot on the grass. Even without the weather forecast the evening before, that chill gasp of air as I closed the bathroom window before going to bed was indication enough that the almost full moon moon would be overseeing our first frosty night of the season. Why did I ignore the signs and leave the two potted citrus trees outside? Who knows, but they are safely tucked into their winter quarters in the conservatory now along with the scented pelargoniums.

First frosts will make for brighter colours of autumn leaves and sweeter parsnips it seems but more immediately the fine ice crystals transform otherwise ordinary leaves flowers and berries until the rays of the sun warm them.  There is so much to capture with a camera, even the least spectactular of the rose hips.
And who would have thought that the ubiquitous ivy would have become camera-worthy? Each leaf edged in bright silver and catching the low rays of the sun.