Ice Storm!

I woke this morning to find a thin layer of white snow that had fallen over night, and on top of that was a layer of ice.  It was still raining lightly in the morning and that rain was adding to the ice on everything.  The ice, although dangerous, made for spectacular scenery!  I was seeing photographs everywhere.  This photograph is the famous Japanese maple as you have not seen it before.

This is a closeup of the end of one of the Japanese maple branches.

Another more recognizable view of the maple tree.  It is hard to see but the top branches are illuminated by the sun later on in the afternoon.

A view of two trees seen from the back yard.

And this is the tall Hickory tree in our front yard.  What makes this spectacular is the blue sky behind the branches, and the branches are lit by sunlight.