Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether the summer clothe the general earth
With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772-1834
These are a few lines taken from a longer poem written by Coleridge in 1798, I don't have any photographs of 'frost at midnight' so one taken in January of this year when there was a spectacular hoar frost is the best I can do.
15 comments:
Hello Rowan,
Lovely words and photo to match!
Lovely photos and poem - thank you!
Beautifully put, and beautifully featured by yourself. The Coleridge Way is on my doorstep so I am a follower because of that also, and it's just possible that snow will be falling tonight...
I enlarged the photo and just stared for a while, beautiful.
How beautiful Rowan! I've always wondered where the term hoar frost comes from -- it's always sounded so funny to me!
What a beautiful post! Thankyou:)
Your best gave me shivers down my back brrrrrrrrrrr
Lovely poem, I'm going to search for the whole.
Gracie at http://mylittleplace.blog.com
Hi Rowan, Coleridge was right about all seasons being sweet especially if you like to photograph what exists in them.
Nice photo, perhaps you could have darkened it a somewhat we would have believed you.{:)
lovely words rowan and so perfect for the weather now. it is bitterly cold here and we have had some snow flurries but nothing significant.
stay warm!
Hi Rowan,
I like the new festive look to your blog!:)
This is a wonderful photo of a frosty landscape and the lovely poem compliments the image really well.
Have a magical Christmas!
Best wishes.
Jo.;)
Rowan...you DO know that imitation is the highest form of flattery? I checked out the blog where you found your template...and you had chosen the prettiest one there...I hope you will forgive me for choosing the same one! I just love the red, warm, soft, golden accents!
The frosty images you have used in your header recently are just the essence of winter to me. And thank you for the poem.
Wishing you the joy and magic of the season. God bless you and yours!
Beautiful photo and lovely words!
Your banner photo is incredible!
Merry Christmas!
That's a gorgeous photo...the words and the photo are a beautiful post to celebrate the Winter Solstice!
Your "Frost at Midnight" reminded me of an experience from a while back where a friend and I took a blanket out into the middle of a huge field in the depths of winter to watch the stars. We spread the blanket over the frost, then warmed by a thermos of hot cocoa (and a little brandy), we kicked back to let the stars and the night soak in. After about 45 minutes, we became aware of dim shapes moving on the edge of the field. Within another half hour we were surrounded by a herd of HUGE elk. It was magical and humbling and absolutely breathtaking.
Hoarfrost--such a descriptive word and yet misses the beauty of what it means. We don't have anything like that here except on rare, rare occasions. It's beautiful.
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