I know. It’s winter, it’s cold, it just snowed, there’s ice everywhere.

But as I sat shivering in my car Tuesday morning, anxiously waiting for it to warm up, I was struck by the tiny ice crystals that had formed on my windows. As a photographer, I couldn’t resist pulling out my phone, switching the camera to macro mode (my favorite iOS feature), and capturing the tiny wonders of nature in the winter.

As my car warmed up, the crystals faded away, and I was on my way to start the day. I thought that was the end of that. But as I hopped out of the car to photograph my first assignment of the day for The Item, I was again met with these beautiful little crystals, this time coating the leaves of shrubs along the sidewalk. Out came the camera to take a few more photos.

I guess the whole point of this little story is to appreciate the little things in life, even when the bitter chill of winter is bearing down on us New Englanders.