On cold sunny mornings in the Fall, I look forward to the first hour in Eliza Howell Park. I try to get there before the frost melts.

Recently I have been trying to learn more about Blackberry Knot Galls (where wasp larvae are developing — more on this in a forthcoming post), so today I headed immediately to a gall-laden blackberry patch. Each gall, exposed now that leaves have fallen, was touched with frost crystals.

The leaves that do remain on the blackberry canes were also decorated with frost.

Blackberries are, of course, known for their thorns. The frost did not ignore them.

Soon the frost started to melt (and the first Fox Sparrow of the Fall migration led me to refocus my attention!). So I moved on from the blackberries, with deep appreciation for a wonderful frosty start to the day.