Gooseberry Morning!

On rare occasions we get thick fog while the temperature is below freezing. Moisture crystallizes on everything (an occurrence known as “hoarfrost”) and is profoundly beautiful on trees. A close look reveals acicular crystals in varying lengths, strongly resembling the prickles of Gooseberry (Ribes).

Back in the 1970’s, my good friend Tom Hontz and I used to go winter camping at the Indiana Dunes, and several times we woke to a magical world of ice stickers on every tree. It was especially attractive in front of a clear blue sky, and I’ll never forget the faint tinkling sound of tiny ice needles falling as we hiked. Tom coined the phrase “gooseberry morning,” and this phenomenon always brings fond memories of my old friend, who lost a dreadful battle with diabetes.