This enchantment of ice and crystal

In honour of last week’s Dragon-worthy frost, some photos that made me think of a particular scene from the book.

… the grass is so thickly frosted, every blade sharp-coated with ice…

The skeleton of the tree glows in the frozen night air as if displaying its soul to the heavens.

The acer is a marvel of white over red.

… diamond-flashes catch off the newly strange plants in the beds …

Now everything is shaded in grey and silver and white.

Everything solid has turned to crystal.

 

Return to the fens

I know it will be one of those cold, clear nights. Crystalline.

 

Beneath, a plant with wide, awkward leaves – probably a weed – looks like folds of lace over silk.

 

…hinting only faintly of mauve beneath the silver and white where, earlier today, they were imperial purple: a wine-dark colour thick and heavy enough to drown in.

 

The bare tree branches spike upwards like long black thorns. The clouds rip and tear themselves ragged as they force themselves on: rank upon rank of tattered monsters hunting each other across the sky.