Here, Hold My Dog and Watch This!*

This plant exhibits frequently a remarkable phenomenon. 

In every clear frosty morning, during the winter, 

crystalline fibres nearly an inch in length, 

shoot out in every direction from the base of the stem. 

It would appear as if the remnant of the sap or water, 

absorbed by the decayed stem, 

had congealed, 

and had burst in this manner through the pores of the bark.   

Does this proceed from any essential quality of the plant, 

or from its structure? 

~ Stephen Elliot, 1824

Today is our first serious freeze. It was cold yesterday - just at freezing - but the temperature dropped lower today. And I remembered the frostweed.** Frostweed is fairly common in wilds of our part of Texas. It has a pretty boring flower - if you are one of those people who enjoys vivid colors and exotic shapes, this is not the flower for you. The exotic potential of this plant can be observed with the first frost. When the temperature drops low enough, the stem of the plant splits -- wild and beautiful formations of liquid - forced out of the stem and frozen- can be seen, lasting only until the temperature rises and they melt.

I've seen a lot of frostweed in my day, but never at a time or place where I could see its magic. Until today.

The park where we take almost daily walks is the gift which keeps on giving. A few days ago I found and photographed some frostweed. It was on a steep incline (maybe 45 degrees or better). I duck-walked up the partially concreted hillside and took photos of the flora within the reach of my camera.*** I must have made a mental note that here was some frostweed within an easy distance of 1) the house and 2) a parking lot.

Zelda and I headed out on this cold (27 degrees) morning to our park to see what we could see. I once again duck-walked up the concrete and saw a few small examples of the explosive frostweed. But these were just far enough away that I would only be able to take awkward photos with the new camera.

The angle of this small hillside was too steep for me to juggle dog and camera and avoid going "ass over teakettle" down to the paved path below. So I fastened Z's leash around a light post and attempted to get just a little closer to the plants. Loose gravel and leaves kept me from making progress.

I thought I might be able to go to the top of the hill and approach the frost weed from above. I climbed nearby stairs to the sounds of a whining/whimpering dog (she's been abandoned at least twice before she came to live with us. After 2 year she is still reluctant to be "left alone"). I waived to her from the top of the stairs and again from the top of the hill. She quieted.

Yes, that is Z - the small brown spot at the base of the light.

Finding no sensible way to climb down without risking a bone-breaking fall (at worst) and/or an embarrassing roll down to the dog's location (at best), I turned around and walked carefully back down the stairs. I freed the dog and settled for the puny observations of the morning. We would hope for the best and see if any more weeds would explode in the early frosts of winter to come.

[To avoid disappointment I am sharing a link to the Google images of this amazing phenomenon even as I keep trying.**** ]

An awkward shot, I know, but it does capture somewhat the steep angle of this hillside.

A small stem exploded in ice.

A larger stem - but most of the ice formation on the other side. I did not risk injury for a better shot.

NOTES:

* A Texas joke, but usually "hold my beer" a catchphrase said before attempting a dangerous and/or ill-advised stunt. But since I don't generally have a beer in my hand - today and most days I have a dog leash. Nope. I did not go skydiving or any other such nonsense. I did not fall down. I could have, but didn't.

** Verbesina virginica

Observation from last Friday.

***Thank you, Charlie! (My buddy, Charlie, showed me the great photos he had taken with this point-and-shoot camera that is better than most and could be purchased at a local chain store.

****
https://www.google.com/search?q=frost+weed&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjFta_fpdTeAhUCR6wKHfyHBl8Q_AUIEigB&biw=1440&bih=725