Gingerbread house project VI - demolition time

Spock: This house has definitely not been troll proof. It is in quite bad condition already.



Spock: I think it is logical to test it. (Crunch, crunch) It does have a pleasant taste...



Naks: The house does not appear to be Vulcan proof either...



Spock: It is not logical to leave the whole demolition task to you two alone.

Niks: Don't worry, all the little demons and hobbits have been helping...

Naks: But their tummies appear to be quite full of gingerbread by now...

Niks: So you are welcome to nibble all you like.

Gingerbread house project V - demolition time

As Christmas is over, nibbling the gingerbread house is now legal. DEMOLITION TIME!













Everybody: Nibble, nibble, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

Fomalhaut and Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice, and as Fomalhaut is the Guardian Of the Winter Solstice, he declared that it was important that he gets to go out around noon to check that the sun is at correct height and everything is proceeding as it should.

Unfortunately it was cloudy, so Fomalhaut could not measure his shadow, but the clouds were thin enough so that he could see where the sun is and ensure that it is at the correct position.


Noon sun at Winter Solstice.



Noon sun at Winter Solstice.




Fomalhaut: Now that I have checked the sun, I can play a little in the snow. It is nice and fluffy, but it's too cold to make a snowman, the snow won't stick together.



Fomalhaut: It's not too deep, but it is good that I borrowed Mr. Spock's boots because Sampo's boots are too low and the tops are too wide, they would be full of snow by now!






Fomalhaut: Hey, here the snow is getting too deep!



Fomalhaut: Can we take this spruce home for the Christmas tree?



Fomalhaut: What do you mean, this is a city park and felling trees is not allowed???


Fomalhaut and Winter Solstice sun.



Winter Solstice sun.

Spock On Ice

Now that Spock has suitable winter wear, he wanted to go out on the ice and take some tricorder readings.




Spock: This is extraordinary. The water is frozen solid and the surface is covered with frost formations.



Spock: Fascinating. I have never seen anything like this before.



Spock: It is actually a bit hard to take tricorder readings with mittens on...



Spock: ... but it is too cold to take them off. This place sure has arctic characteristics...



Spock: The crack in the ice shows how thick it is.



Spock: The frost balls are extremely fragile. They shatter from lightest touch.



Spock: I must get some closer readings of these frost formations.



Spock: Fascinating.



Spock: I have plenty of readings to analyze afterwards.


This is what the ice looks towards the shore. It is like a black mirror, completely spotted with these frost balls.

Winter Noon Light

At this time of the year the sun stays very low, only a little above the horizon. That gives an eerie lighting effects on clear days. The sky is very pale blue and the horizon looks rosy all day long, even at noon.

It has been cold and clear for several days in a row, and the lake is now partially frozen. But there is still open water in the middle, and you can still see mist rising from it though the water near the shore is frozen and looks like a mirror.



Rosy horizon and ice like a mirror.



Yes, the water is frozen near the shore, and it looks like a perfect mirror.



It is so beautiful that even Niks and Naks were quiet with awe. That is definitely very rare.



Color pictures appear almost black and white. In the low light the dark green spruces look black and closer to the horizon the sky appears white.



Barren birches are of course black and white by default.



Bushes are thickly covered with frost.



Niks and Naks decided that the pictures need a bit of color and climbed onto the bush.

A Frosty Day in December

We haven't seen the sun in weeks, and when there finally was sunny (and cold!) day, Niks and Naks wanted to go out.


Berries are frozen on the bush.



The forest is not very colorful at this time of year.





Niks: But when we are in the picture...

Naks: ... it is always colorful.

Niks: A nice sunny spot, by the way...

Naks: And nice soft snow, too.


Mountain ash berries are also still colorful.





Niks: The lake is starting to freeze.

Naks: This is thick enough for little trolls...

Niks: But I would not recommend this for humans.

Naks: Well, the water is so shallow here that it is frozen all the way to the bottom, so even a human could not fall through.



Niks: At least the lifebuoy is colorful.

Naks: Even if it is frosty.



Niks: The teeter-totter is also frosty and forlorn.

Naks: We have it all for ourselves.



Niks: The slide is ours, too...

Naks: But it is covered with snow...



Niks: If we had skis, this would be perfect for ski-jumping.

Naks: Definitely.



As the lake is not frozen yet, but the air is cold, mist rises from the lake.



Misty lake.



A fish on dry land.



Jaws.

Naks: HELP!

Niks: He's got us!



Niks: The lake is starting to freeze at the shores.

Naks: It's like a thin mirror!


View towards the far shore.



View towards downtown.



The harbor is empty.




Naks: We had fun!

Niks: Even if it was quite cold.

Niks: Have you ever tried to take pictures with woolly gloves on?

Naks: By the way, these pictures were taken between noon and 1 PM though it looks like dawn or sunset!