Rather than complain about the quarter inch of ice that enveloped my car earlier this week, I decided to take a walk with my dog and enjoy the glittering, sparkling world outside my window.

For those of you who live in warm climates and only see news clips of crews repairing power lines, or tow trucks pulling cars out of ditches, I thought I’d post a few pictures to show how beautiful it actually is.

Unfortunately, the camera lens did not pick up the brilliant sparkles of color that were almost blinding. Every blade of grass was encrusted in its own jewel-cased shell that made it look like I was walking on a carpet of diamonds.

As the sun became warmer during my journey through the woods, it began to rain icicles, making the path appear as if it were littered with broken glass. All around I coud hear the crack of tree limbs finally giving way to the weight, and the sound of the ice shattering as it hit the ground.

Needless to say, all that I saw and felt and heard will likely end up in another historical fiction novel someday, making it worth getting hit with a few falling icicles.

Today begins the cleanup, but even that is not so bad. Who can complain when Mother Nature so kindly provided another few weeks of firewood?