The last few nights have been starbright and ‘jitterly cold’ (thanks to my niece Emma for this newly coined expression!). Water droplets on grass blades froze over; autumnal leaves were coated in fine white crystals, and curious patterns emerged on a number of surfaces (as for example on the woven structure of this garden chair, see photo on the right). When I went outside with my camera, the sun had already thawed the first corners of the garden, while others lay still frozen in the shadows.