Back when I lived in the city, walking about Manhattan, there was a very good reason to look up. Gargoyles. Fabulous gargoyles. Bumping into people on the street, apologizing, face-to-the-sky, gargoyles. New York is full of them and they’re all over the place. However, this post is not about gargoyles … maybe someday … but another reason for looking up. Icicles.
The recent 6 – 8″ of snow we had recently, followed by a drop to 4˚ at night, followed by a day of brilliant sunshine has these 2 and 3 foot daggers hanging off roofs everywhere. And although today was kind of cloudy, kind of sunny, I thought to photograph a few because I believe this is the last we’ll be seeing them until next winter.
Neither the main roof nor those of the porches on this house have gutters, which may be why there are so many icicles, I’m not sure, but what I do know is that when you walk around certain parts of the house, you best be looking up and stepping lively. Periodically during the day, you can hear them crashing outside the windows, just waiting for an unsuspecting soul to walk by.
Witness a few misses to the side of my house, the walkway where I come and go daily. Of course, there’s also a sheet of ice to navigate as well. Ahhhh – winter!
Having taken that photo, I became more interested in the textures created by the ice and snow around the house, often so beautiful as to look like abstract art. I peered over my back porch railing where the ice was dripping into the snow. Icicles were breaking and melting around the hydrangea, as eager for spring as we, I suspect.
And then, the last of the roses, encased in ice, also surrounded by broken icicles.
I could have gone around the whole property photographing these icy textures once I began, but such is not my day. These brightened my artistic soul, maybe yours, too.
Still A Dreamer 
I noticed yesterday’s icicles hanging as if they were ornaments off the Boulevard Cypress trees in the front corner of the yard. I admired, yet never captured an image. Guess by then, I was so tired of the white, melt-y stuff, I witnessed then moved on.
Thank goodness my two underground downspout pipes remain clear, as much water has passed through them in the past two weeks, when the sun appears.
Onward to spring! Soon we will be commiserating about the heat and humidity!
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Know what? I’ll be happy to even be complaining about something different. Later this week, predictions are for 55˚! It will at least be awhile before we complain about heat and humidity, eh? 🙂
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😉
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There really is so much beauty in nature and I’m glad you stopped long enough to enjoy it 🙂
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I will always agree with you on that! For so much of this winter, it was so cold I hardly felt like going out and photographing anything. (And wondered if my camera would freeze up!) But I’ll be carrying it around again now! Hope you’re well …
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Things are OK. Always in flux, right? I hope you’re well, too, my dear 🙂 Going to the conference this year?
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It does seem that things are always in flux.Many in a good way. I am coming to the conference this year. Working on a MS, but have no idea yet what I will submit and where I’ll find the time too update my portfolio. Time is always a challenge, eh? 😛
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LOL…yeah, time is definitely always a challenge! I’ve written a new PB, though it’s only a first draft, but I’m seriously thinking to make it a dummy and submit it for critique. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that for a conference so I don’t know what the deadline will be, but I’m sure it’ll be a pressure situation!
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I, too, have just about finalized/re-worked a fairly new PB, but would only want to submit if I can also show an illustration or two to accompany it. Now that’s some time consumption. And then my MG novel has been calling me … ahhh, what to do, what to do. Nothing like the June Conf. to light a fire under our collective butts, eh?
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Yeah, it definitely puts the pressure on, not that I want anymore pressure in my life lol I’m still bogged down by so many other things and hope I can get a handle on them before I have to start working on a dummy, that’s for sure. If I don’t, the back up of all the stuff that will be neglected will bury me. We have to keep on keepin’ on! 😀
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Indeed we do, but I seem very encouraged by each mountain of snow that becomes smaller daily, even if the grass beneath is soggy and brown – and the longer daylight hours. We’ll all get there – wherever “there” is! 🙂
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Gargoyles in Manhattan—sounds like a Leonard Cohen song–or one you’ve yet to write. I like it.
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It would have to have a video made to accompany it! I have a wonderful photography book, “Nightmares in the Sky”, with a preface by Stephen King. It’s got gargoyles from around the world including many in France from their cathedrals, but many, many in Manhattan as well. I miss NYC but every time I go back in, I am overwhelmed by the squash of people and wonder how I ever lived like that? 😛
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Your icicles are gorgeous! Yes they may have certain dangers but there is something about huge icicles that’s mesmerizing. Interestingly I did a post last spring on our icicles and have a pic almost exactly like your second one. Your first one makes me envious to have neighbor’s homes that far away! Sigh. Such is life in the suburbs for this country girl at heart. 🙂 Stay safe out there!
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Glad you like them, and thankfully they’re all gone! We’re nicely spread out here, and mine is a little town bordered by the Delaware River on one side, and surrounded by countryside on the others. I am very, very grateful to live where I do. I grew up in the suburbs and have lived in one part of my adult life. No complaints, but I like this so much better. Here’s a quick view near me, or just put “Delaware” in my search box and you can travel a bit in my neighborhood.Come visit! 🙂 https://stilladreamer.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/living-by-water/
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