Ooooh, Sparkly!

The snow has changed with the warmer temperatures lately.  The variety of sounds it makes, the many textures you can detect beneath your boots, and the way it looks and changes throughout the winter are all pretty fascinating to me.  I'll try next winter to describe it a little better and keep track of the changes. I'm sure it all comes down to chemistry, temperature, and the amazing properties of water.
Do you ever stop to think about water?  Any thought at all?  You could have millions.  It's all over the place, all the time, and carrying out so many functions of life, geology, climate...you name it, that it's staggering!  It's the only chemical compound to exist naturally on earth in all states: solid, liquid, and gas.  In fact, the whole earth was formed from water.  Read the creation account, or read 2 Peter 3:5.  (If you don't believe in God, go ahead and read verses 1-13.).  

So...water....  I don't know the science behind it, but I do know that for a couple of days we had temperatures around 30.  Right away the snow felt spongier, almost cushiony but not punchy like it gets in the spring when it's melting and every step has you post holing to the bottom. 

Then, this morning I noticed something that I absolutely love about this place!  It reminded me of Bluebell ice cream.  If you have a dad who eats out of the carton until the ice cream is starting to go soft and then puts the rest back in the freezer, you know exactly what I mean.  (Ok, so maybe I've done it on occasion too.). We all hate being the person who comes along next, though, because the texture (and I think taste) is different.  At least the top layer is crystallized or grainy. 

I think that's what might happen here. The top layer of snow melts ever so slightly and refreezes, changing its structure.  Whatever happens, it seems so much more reflective to me under the moonlight and streetlights.  It's like having a continuous disco ball at your feet or walking on glitter.  I really enjoy walks before sunrise and after sunset.  When the temperature is warm, you feel like taking your time and soaking it all in.   

I've tried very hard to capture some image of this, but I can't get it to work. The best I could do is the following video clip. As it plays, look for the little white specks that show up in the shadow.  It's nothing like being here, though.  Sorry, you'll just have to come see for yourself!