As I went to bed last night sleet and freezing rain were clicking at my skylight windows promising me a very good next day. There’s been hardly any snow so far this winter. Sleet and freezing rain with its resulting ice is NEARLY as wonderful to me as “take me back to my childhood” snow.

Morning brought the promised gift of diamonds in the trees. Off to roam I went with my buddy, my camera, before I even had breakfast. Pure delight. Ice on everything.

Ice on the many Flowering Dogwood Trees that have established themselves up and down the mountain. Ice on the buds that formed, long ago mid-summer. Buds that wait — autumn into winter into finally bloom time. Now encased in ice. Buds waiting for spring.