Last Sunday’s rain storm raised the water level on the river by about six feet, breaking up the frozen ice into large chunks that were four to twelve inches thick. Flowing downstream in the flood, some of these icebergs stuck in an eddy in the bend of the river below the bluff and were left in stacks up to five feet deep when the water receded.
This one deposited high above the water on the rocks, is about a foot deep, four feet wide and five feet long. The branches of multiflora rose hips to the right gives you some sense of scale.
Each floe had a varied grain depending on how cold it was when each layer froze and how clear or turbulent was the water at that time. Some were the loveliest aquamarine color, while others were crystal clear, solid snow-white, in-between opaque or muddy brown.
This piece looked like the prow of a boat sticking up five feet above the water. In this photo you can see how high the water was and note how it is refreezing again at water level.
It was like a large art installation made with ice blocks that I walked around (very carefully!) to explore. Nature’s museum always offers the best exhibits, don’t you think?
Eliza Waters 
You are such a good docent at The Museum of Mother Nature.
😀 Thanks, Liv!
I love the “Nature Museum” line as well. So true, Eliza.
Thank you, Kim. Have a great weekend!
I love your analogy with an art installation in Nature’s museum, Eliza. And I am stunned by the beauty of the ice in your photos. Meanwhile, I’m about to go for a swim in the sea at the beach down the end of our road …
Thanks, Rebecca, we live in alternate universes! 🙂
Great photographs and story. Wonderful post. Beautiful ice.
Thank you, Gigi. The beauty in the ordinary. But as we know, there really is no ‘ordinary.’ 😉
I think it looks beautiful! 🙂
Thank you, Trini! ❤
🙂 ❤
Almanzo would have lugged the blocks to the barn, packed hay around them and would have enjoyed homemade ice-cream in July!
You know, I thought of that too! Can you imagine how heavy lugging it was? However, I think the ice was cleaner in those days. 😉
Ice is so difficult to walk or drive on BUT it is so beautiful to look at and examine.
Indeed, Judy, it is. Thank goodness for Yaktrax! 😉
These photos are stunning. My very first impression was of an ice tsunami, the way those big chunks are just stacked & toppled. The layers are fascinating and beautiful, the way they capture the stillness or motion of the water. This is looks like art to me too.
Thank you, Micheal. It made me appreciate how dangerous icebergs are. I wish I had walked down to the river during the rain – it would have been cool to see those bergs going by and twirling in the eddy.
That’s amazing, wonderful images.
Thanks so much, Karen!
A stunning collection of images Eliza!
Thank you kindly, Dor! 🙂
There is such power in the scenes for the water to have shifted the weight of the ice and rearranged the slabs. I have to ask which river? How fascinating to the see the varying colours captured in the layers. What a post!!
It is the South River in western Mass. (US), a tributary to the Deerfield and Connecticut rivers. It is fairly clean, except in flood when, like most rivers, land material runs off into the watershed. I, too, was fascinated by the colored layers. Ice history!
Thanks, off to google it….
Wow!
🙂 Thanks!
Wow, it looks like a scene in a sci-fi movie. Almost surreal…
It was quite the pile up of ice. Thanks for stopping by, Ana!
These photos are so amazing Eliza, how cool! Indeed, “nature’s museum always offers the best exhibits.” 🙂
Thanks, Jewels. And the exhibits change daily! How cool is that? 😉
I agree-amazing! Did you grab a few “rose-hips” for tea:-) spring is around the corner–just not yet. You also captured the “power” of nature…..you have to be careful when nature moves!
As I stood beneath that stack of ice, I couldn’t help but think about the power that put it there. Nature’s forces are sooo powerful and I respect that!
Wow, that’s a lot of ice. Brought memories of the Yukon River to mind. How I miss the North!!! Happy Weekend Eliza, G
Thanks, Geraldine, winter definitely has it pros and cons. Once experienced, we can’t help but miss those things we enjoyed about winter.
I hope your weekend is a good one as well.
Strangely beautiful Eliza! I love the striations and colors. Last spring chunks of ice floated down the St. Lawrence for days (from the Great Lakes). It looked more like the Arctic than NY!
Ice break up is amazing to watch. I’d love to see the St. L. in spring – a LOT of water!
Beautiful pictures and info of the amazing strength of water and ice.
Thanks so much!
This is so cool!
Thanks so much, Ellen!
Nature’s Museum….I like that! I find your photos unbelievably fascinating. Thank you for sharing your magical winter, Eliza. 🙂
Thanks Joanne. Winter can be quite magical, it’s true. 🙂
Reblogged this on LIVING THE DREAM.
These images are great. Never seen anything quite like this, it’s amazing! I think it’s fantastic that you managed to capture the broken ice flowing downstream at close range.
Thank you, Matilde. Our winters can get really cold. We’re currently in a frigid spell with the temp this morning -6F (windchill makes it feel -25), so the river is building more ice. 🙂