Ice Ice Baby

My in-laws live in a town where they have festivals, and art shows, and all kinds of wonderful things.  Why we don't live there I still haven't quite figured out.
Every year, on New Year's Eve, they have a 'festival' called "First Night".  Although, since it's New Year's Eve shouldn't it be called "Last Night"?  When we move to that town I will bring it up with the board.  But, in the meantime, First Night has ice sculptures.  All over the place.  Companies sponsor an ice sculpture and put it in front of their office and there is also a little park where ice sculptures are out to be perused.  It's like a little art show for ice.  Very lovely.  There is also someone selling hot chocolate and hot apple cider and kettle corn...  it's quite quaint.  (say that 3 times fast)

Can you guess which company sponsored this sculpture:

 Yep, the plumber.

Oh, and in the past, there is usually snow on the ground and people are wearing their snow boots and are all bundled up.  This year?  Not so much.  Global warming?  All the ice sculptures were on green grass and causing quite a muddy mess...

This guy was not quite finished his masterpiece

A T-Rex

This guy was busy working on something as well.

 Looks like it's going to be a pair of eskimos in front of an igloo.

Sculpting is amazing.  Any form.  Whether your medium is ice or clay or marble.  It is just amazing to me how someone can see nothing and another person something incredible.  

Winter Wonderland

One of the many blogs/websites I like to peruse is I Heart Faces.  It's a great photography website that was founded by two bloggers and it mostly has pictures of, you guessed it, faces!  They have weekly photo contests which I have never participated in, but when I saw the title for this week's contest I just had to participate.
It's called...(drum roll please...)

Winter Wonderland!

Who doesn't love that?
Okay, there are plenty of you out there who do not like the snow, and are shouting 'ME ME I don't love that!!'  But, can't we all just get along?  Just pretend you love the snow and go over to I Heart Faces and check out all the submissions.

Since I love the snow and love taking pictures of snow all over the place I decided to look through my photographs and submit one.  Since the website is I Heart Faces I had to make sure there was a face in my photograph so I chose this one:

However, I really have no idea if I submitted it properly-there are quite a few rules and regulations and I am not sure I comprehended all of them.  So, I thought I would share it here as well.  What do you think?

Guess What Peeps?

It's snowing again.  It's late, it's dark, but I can see the snow sparkling outside.

It's beautiful.

I can't wait to see it in morning's first light.  I am sure I will take a gazillion photos.  I just can't help myself.  Every year I say, 'baby-cakes.  you don't need any more photographs of that tree covered in snow.'  But, then I see the freshly fallen snow and I am like a kid in a candy store.

Or a bull in a china shop.

One of those.

Strong like bull.

ahem...where was I?

Oh, yes, gorgeous, beautiful, freshly fallen snow.  It's reminds me of the pile of confectioner's sugar I sift when I make my famous carrot cake.  Yes, it's famous.  You haven't heard of it?  Oh...  hmmm... I could have sworn it was famous.  How many people have to like something in order for it to be famous?  oh...

I am starting to get confused now.  It's late, it's dark...

Ah, yes, as I was saying, it's snowing again in these parts.  I just can't wait to take a photo of that tree covered in snow (again).

Here is what it looked like last time it snowed:

It's just one of my favorite trees.  Makes me smile.  It's also my daughter's 'climbing tree'.  Maybe that is why I am so attached to the tree.  When she was little she grabbed hold of those branches and would not let go.  

 Small fry was determined.

And, if you please, shall we all just have a moment of silence for the diaper sticking out of the back of the pants.

Is it not delicious?  Doesn't it make you want to wear outfits with peter-pan collars?  

Why I didn't have 100 babies I'll never know...

And the Icicles hung off the gutter with care...

and my hope is they won't pull the gutter off the house like they did last year.  

okay, well, that didn't exactly rhyme, but, hey!  

(butt hay...hahahahaha....hay for your butt....heeheehee)

  

ahem.  scuse me.  forgot how old I was there for a second.  

Back to the icicles:

I loved the reflection in the window of this one so I thought I would share.   

We didn't get a lot of snow so I don't feel too guilty about taking pictures and not knocking down the icicles straight away lest they rip the gutters out of my house again... 

Last year the icicles were about twice as long and twice as wide and they just ripped that gutter right off of my house.  

(I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair...)

True story.  

Whilst I was trying to be artistic taking photos of icicles my son was being inventive in his own right.   Trying to sled down the slide.  (say that 3 times fast).

oh boy...this is not looking good.  Should I ask if he is okay,  or just keep taking photos?  

Keep taking photos?  Oh, I am so glad you said that.  

hmmm....mummy's here if you need me darling.  

okay, now, it looks like he has finally righted himself

and....

success!

Ah, to be a child again.  I could laugh when people say but, hey!  and take photos of children in precarious situations without offering aide.  Oh, I already do that?  hmm....well, Happy New Year!

US & OZ: December 16, 2010

OZ:

The girls in their sundresses after a day of visiting Santa.

US:

Horses getting a dusting of snow.  Where are their blankets??  

US & OZ: December 6, 2010

From OZ:

The girls were having dessert in their jammies tonight, and Lara decided to put her "cosi" on over hers. 

And her swimming cap.

                      -Kate

From US:

Bird waiting for me to fill up the bird feeder, but it was just too cold!  Sorry, chickie...