Rime-frost
December 28th
Of course, I knew what it was. I’ve seen it several times each winter, when the moisture in the air crystallizes under a very low temperature, covering everything in a white film. What I didn’t know was that there is a particular phrase to describe this weather phenomenon — “rime-frost” or “rime-ice”. So today I learned something new, and it is always nice to find out that something I could describe in a lot of words actually already has a nice and concise name. There is a rather minuscule snow cover on the ground, but everything else — grasses, shrubs, trees — every branch, every needle, every stalk, every forgotten leaf are solidified in a shiny white cover. Beautiful to watch and yet so fragile, looking like the slightest touch can break them.
I went on a train trip today, just to visit a local town for an hour or so and get a train back home. I do that a lot in winter. During that season, I want to limit my driving to a minimum, so I look for a connection on a local train or a bus to one of the small towns or interesting villages in the area. I do that just to walk around, see if anything changed since my last visit there, and go back home. That is a pretty pleasant way to spend half a day. Especially on a day like today when temperatures are still around minus 10C.
What is equally pleasant is riding on the train by itself. I love trains. I love getting a window seat, getting comfortable there, and simply looking through the winder at the passing scenery. And the scenery today was spectacular, with white rime-frost crystals covering all the visible world. I don’t need much more than that. That is enough to let my mind wander unobstructed while I look outside with just my thoughts and train wheels in a rhythmic mantra and warmth of happiness inside me.
