Word of the Week

You don't need any soil and a pot to grow an Eisblume or "ice flower." Eisblumen aren't colorful or fragrant and they don't grow from the earth. Rather, Eisblume is the German word for window frost, or fern frost as it is known in English. Eisblumen can be seen in winter on glass window panes when the temperatures are sub-zero outside and warm and toasty on the inside. It's best when the window pane is a bit dirty and the damp hangs on the dirt particles and freezes. After a while, a layer of ice forms that looks like a bouquet of small flowers. Eisblumen look pretty - even though they often block the view. But unlike real flowers, once the sun comes out, they melt and trickle away.