OK, so not everyone would think this is so special, but I do. This has been our landscape here since yesterday. I live in Central Florida, and from what I hear, we have not had such a cold snap since 1989. I wouldn't know, since I've only been here since April of 2006, but I know it's a first for me.
Two days ago, we had a good frost...
Then, yesterday, it was a hard freeze. I, however, went to work bright and early yesterday, so I didn't have the opportunity to snap any photos of our neighborhood. I did see a teen-aged boy kicking at an iced-over puddle as I passed him on my way, breaking the ice and sending splinters of it into the air... and I remembered having done such things as a child. I'm sure it is a rare thing here, and that boy had likely never seen such a thing.
Today, I am not working, and so I ventured out for a brisk walk. I could not resist bringing the camera, though... to wander through the orange grove across the street from our house, where only three weeks ago, I was picking the fruit off of these trees. I am grateful that the oranges are now past ripeness, and mostly dried up. It would have broken my heart to see good oranges freeze.
The HOA kept the sprinklers on for the past two nights, in an effort to save the orange trees. It made for an interesting walk...
The sprinklers are still on in some parts...
I love these last few, taken from a different direction. They almost appear to be taken in sepia, but I did not change any settings. 
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Comments: 35
Sadie... as much as I hate cold, it does make for some lovely sights. Of course, this does not show the yards full of dead tropical plants and palms...
Why were the oranges still on the trees and "all dried up"? Does that normally happen?
Marge, thanks so much for your comments and for your loyalty!
I know it sounds wrong but, the ice that forms over the plant from the water freezing on it actually acts as an "insulator" to keep the roots from getting frozen thus killing the plant. Most times, a plant (especially a tree) can live and come back when just the branches are frozen... Not true if the roots get frozen (ESPECIALLY if the soil around the plant is fairly dry!).
The two other means by which one can minimize the killing effects of frost on field crop plants are "smudge pots" (large kerosene heaters placed strategically) or large "wind machines" (giant two-bladed, electrically powered windmills) which, since frost falls straight down, keep the air circulating above the plants and prohibits the frost from forming on top of them.
The problem with these last two methods is (in the case of smudge pots) many places have environmental laws now that prohibit the use of them and cost of kerosene is sky-high and electricity to run wind machines is also cost-prohibitive (each "blade" of these windmills is usually about 8 or 9 feet long!).
In the nursery business, greenhouses, of course, are ideal to keep plants in when the weather is cold enough to have a killing frost but, unless the business is lucrative enough to be able to afford greenhouses for all of your plants, greenhouses are very, VERY costly to build and to run (heat/cool).
"Shade cloths" (large sheets of nylon mesh like woven material) strung overhead on poles or "lattice-work" (made in "panels" of thin strips of wood criss-crossed in a frame) "shade houses" will do the job; however, very small nurseries (especially those in "temperate zones" where killing frost is nowhere NEAR a "yearly problem") can't afford those, either, most of time. (Shade cloth AND lattice work -- enough to protect a fairly large area, anyway -- are quite expensive.)
A couple of nurseries I've worked for in my time had their sprinkler systems hooked to a thermostat which would automatically trigger the sprinklers if the outside air temperature got down below freezing. The fact that most nurseries/orchards/etc. already HAVE some type of sprinkler system installed for irrigation purposes makes this method of saving plants from frost the most practical.
Marianne, see above!
Thanks, Alexis!
And Matt left his grapefruits in the garage and they froze. Maybe he could serve the frozen chunks with some vodka or something.
I sure hope it warms up before I go to Florida in March :-)
Sorry couldn't resist. Sad about the oranges but cool pictures.
Cristina... ME TOO! I'm just about cold through and through today, but within a few days, our high today will be our low.
Thanks, Moggy... I'm very glad this did not happen a month ago!
flit, thanks for stopping in. Isn't jean just a wealth of info?
Dearest Julie,
What a fascinating photo essay you have here! You never cease to amaze me with your extraordinary talent taking photos... LOL Isn't it amazingingly strange how Mother Nature does what she does? I've never seen photos like these before, they are quite fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing your gift of photo taking. Your photos make me want to come and visit Florida someday...