With temperatures bouncing between single digits and the thirties and forties in recent weeks, ice has been the predominant theme of winter so far. No snow to speak of, but plenty of ice: on ponds, on harbor pilings, on the roads and on sidewalks. Enough for pond hockey in West Tisbury last weekend. Enough to slip and fall on the brick sidewalks in Edgartown, where a thin eggshell coating was the surprise greeting for all who were out and about in the early morning on Thursday.

Icy decks and sidewalks can be treacherous, especially for the elderly. Iced-over freshwater ponds are fun for skating but also can be dangerous, especially for dogs. Saltwater ice is unstable and especially hazardous and almost never safe for skating.

Be careful out there and take extra time when walking downtown for lunch or coffee or driving, especially at night when black ice lurks on rural roads.

It’s beautiful, all this ice, but also a hazard.