How do winter mornings surprise with their bare branches and white frost?

Its two months into winter yet its funny how some mornings I am surprised by how bare the trees are. I woke up this morning to a golden glow in the sky and a thick white frost.  Its only the second frost I have seen this winter and the thickest so far.  We live only a short distance from the edge of the mountain, so the sun hits here first and any light frost burns off quickly.  Today the frost was deep enough to stick around. This is the view from our back verandah through the elm tree. 

I love how our summer and winter view is so different. In summer the elm tree completely blocks our view of the paddocks.  It keeps the house cool and the yard shady.  Walk down the stairs and across the garden and the open grass land opens up in front of you. The trees are full of crimson rosellas summer and winter but in winter the birds are a vibrant and rare shot of colour instead of a mere hint of red glinting through lush greenery.