Icy Waterfall

Last week brought us much colder than normal temperatures. For four days and five nights, we were sub-freezing with daytime highs not getting out of the 20s. My camellias were loaded with huge and beautiful buds. The freeze turned them brown and they are beginning to drop. Bummer.

On the other hand, sustained freezing temperatures, just like heavy rains, signal the need to visit waterfalls.

Looking Glass Falls is a very popular waterfall in our county. I was surprised to see the amount of ice on the top and sides of the falls. (You can click to enlarge any of the photographs.)

The plunge pool at the foot of the 60-foot drop was frozen over.

It was REALLY cold at the foot of the falls. The normal mist was not water vapor but ice.

Along the sides of the falls, the brush was heavily coated with ice from the cold mist. It was absolutely beautiful.

The pool is not white water...it is ice.

We felt as if we were standing in a fairy land, the sound of the waterfall somewhat muted by the ice. Tiny crystal ice palaces were everywhere.

We could have stayed there forever, if not for the cold. My fingers were numb before I finished taking pictures and put on my gloves.

I would love to be there as the ice breaks up. Can you imagine the cracking and sound of the ice falling into the pool?

These photographs were taken Thursday monring. As further proof that there is no such thing as "normal" weather, our high today will be in the upper 60s and might even reach 70!