Ice
Ice
Baby…
Okay, so that was bad, but I just had to show a picture of the little cutie again. If you don’t know who this little bundle is, check out Monday’s post.
As you can see, we’ve got ice! Thankfully it has remained at the “oh, that looks pretty” stage instead of the doom and gloom they predicted (as what has happened in Oklahoma lately). So yesterday I gathered up the camera and drove through the neighborhood to the sound of Christmas music to snap a few pictures for those of you not experiencing the type of weather associated with Christmas.
I love how creepy trees can look when they are stripped of their leaves…
All over the neighborhood there were these fantastic contrasts between the clear white of the ice and the orange/brown of trees that hadn’t lost their leaves.
This tree looks like it is reaching over the fence to snatch some wayward soul.
Graveyard steps…
Viewed close up they remind me of the stairs of a castle at the top of a mountain in the game Oblivion.
Hmmmm…the Stairs to Oblivion….I like it.
The entire neighborhood was such a wonder to behold.
And last but not least, the Charlie Brown tree is looking very much like the one from the Christmas special today…
Those penguins actually look cold, poor souls.
With weather like this, and work closed early yesterday, is it any wonder I spent the day listening to Christmas music, reading, and wrapping presents?
We are a day shy of 2 weeks until Christmas day, is everyone enjoying the holiday season?
“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.â€Â
~Oren Arnold
And for those of you who liked Monday’s Wright quotes:
“Tinsel is really snakes’ mirrors.â€Â
~ Stephen Wright
Groan! Are you just warming up with your humor this morning for your weekly meeting with Jerry. 🙂
Incredible photos! Now I’m off to drive in this stuff. 🙁 Love the Charlie Brown tree, the tree that IS try to grab someone, and the graveyard steps.
Oh my, oh my. I love the ice on the trees that look like crystals. (I notice there is a pinkish tinge to the ice in the second picture. How did that happen?) It must be so great to just take a walk around the neighbour to all this.
Thanks for posting these. We don’t have snow or ice where I live, so it’s totally cool to see Christmas in ice and snow in another part of the world.
And oh yes, we’re also easing into the festive season. A lot more laughter in the office, with lots of craziness. (*ahem* You have seen the picture of my beanie bear) It just means people are feeling more relaxed and opening to the playfulness within them.
Christmas should be a time for laughter and beauty.
Jeff: I don’t need to warm up, I have the Jerry humor going on all the time! For those of you unsure of what we are talking about, Jerry is one of the 4 Corners at the comic shop…three of us plus Jeff…who is allegedly working during that time…who meet every Wednesday to discuss the important issues of the world. Jerry is the king of groan-worthy humor, puns included. He is certainly a kindred spirit in that department!
Dark O: that is just a part of the tree that is dead and I thought it would make a fantastic picture. I’m so glad it turned out as good as it did.
Our work has been weird as well, partly because of the season and partly because after 2 months of preparing for and being in audits, we are all a bit giddy that it is over…for another year.
“Christmas should be a time for laughter and beauty.” I totally agree!
By the way Jeff and Dark O, I added a couple of quotes to the end of this post that were not there when you first read it in case you are interested.
Those are some awesome pictures. You should send some of that ice my way! (I don’t want to be wearing t-shirts and shorts in December!)
Those pictures rock! I’ll never know that kind of scenery 🙁 I was wondering about you this morning. As I was driving in this morning they were talking about Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri getting this storm pretty bad and power going out and all kinds of stuff. Had me worrying! So I’m glad to hear that you’re enjoying the weather and not battling it 😉 I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically when I saw those penguins by the way…I don’t know what it is, but they just look hilarious dripping with ice.
man, I’d hate to have to walk up those stairs! Beautiful pictures, Carl. That’s what our neck of the woods looked like Monday & Tuesday! Starting to melt now, tho.
I didn’t get a chance to congratulate you on Monday, but better late than never 🙂 , so Congrats, to you and your sister, and the Dad as well.
Those trees look great; I’m glad you are able to appreciate them and aren’t suffering from worse weather
Your pictures actually look like my backyard!! We didn’t get as much ice as we were supposed to…thank goodness. Although, I have 3 kids that are REALLY disappointed because they were expecting to be warming themselves by the fire right now, watching TV….instead of going to school!!
Those photos are spectacular! I swear those poor penguins really do look like they’re shivering! Glad things weren’t toooooo terrible in your neck of the midwest…was worried about you all.
Debi: Thanks for the concern. I’ve been in one of those really bad ice storms here a few years back and although my family personally had a wonderful time (we were iced in, we read, played games, kept our power and listen to branches crack and fall) it was a devastating time for many people and we lost alot of wonderful trees. I can live without another one of those.
Stephanie: There is nothing worse as a kid than to expect a snow day and not get it. It is unfair to all of kid-dom to have something like that happen.
Fence: Thanks for the congrats. I’m off to see the baby soon and cannot wait as I didn’t get to hold her the other night.
Janet: Yea, I wouldn’t even try that. They are right next to the street, so the way Murphy’s law works, not only would one tumble down the stairs, but they’d probably do so right as a car passed and they’d get run over!
Chris: Yes, the penguins do look great with the ice on them. Thankfully there was just enough of a south wind to keep the temps right above freezing or, with all the rain we got yesterday, it would have been a disaster. And thanks to them anticipating the disaster, I got a day off work! Woo hoo!
Cory: T-shirts and shorts would not a Christmas make for this midwest boy!
OMG! those photo’s are fantastic Carl!! So, does it seem more like Christmas to you NOW??!! hahaha Some of those look as though they should be in a photo contest ! (find one and enter them! ) I am relieved to see no ice on da baby though! heh.
lol… thanks, Carl. I needed something to make me smile.
Those are stunning pictures. We had frost here this morning, but not as much as that. It still looked like a bit of a Winter Wonderland, though… very Christmasy!
Those are gorgeous! I’m glad I’m not in that weather (it’s 75 degrees here) but it sure is pretty!
Better than Ansel Adams could have done himself.
These pictures are the epitome of why I like Winter best of all seasons.
First of all, my congratulations to you and your sister’s family! Beautiful baby! And I LOVE the name! My second daughter’s name is Madelyn, and my first daughter’s middle name is Grace (so of course i’m a little biased!).
Second of all, the ice pictures are absolutely stunning. I hope to be taking some of my own tomorrow morning!
I love the pictures Carl.
Your pictures are fantastic. Much as I hate the cold, an ice storm certainly is a great time to take pictures. I love the way you worked your beautiful neice in.
Oooooohhhhh! Pretty! (and that definitely includes the pretty little lady in the 3rd picture!)
Thank you for the ice fix! (That’s a sentence I never thought I’d type in my lifetime…)
I’d send you some of our wind in exchange but you don’t want it.
And I really want to watch ‘The Ice Storm’ all of a sudden!
Deslily: It has definitely felt like Christmas for a few weeks now. The weather helps a whole lot with the Christmas spirit. And no, no ice on the baby, she is toasty warm.
Nymeth: Thanks. Winter Wonderland is an apt description. I had that song playing in my head this morning when I was out walking the dog.
Ladytink: I wouldn’t trade you temperatures right now for anything…now come the middle of January I’ll probably be ready to make a deal. 🙂
Bellezza: Thank you. I think I have a long way to go before I can rival even one of Ansel’s mistakes!
Rus: That is funny! Nope, you’re not biased at all! 😉
Mosker: Thank you!
Pat: Couldn’t leave Madelyn out, she just had to join in!
Astaryth: Thank you, she is very pretty.
Gabrielle: Nope, no wind, thank you very much. I’ll pass on that.
that is gorgeous! did you take those photographs yourself? (that might sound silly, ’cause almost all the photos you pots are yours – but these are really beautiful!)
i especially like the creepy tree. that is very cool indeed!!
Yep, those were all mine, JP.
I think because November was my LOTR month I have had Fangorn forest on the brain and I keep seeing ‘creepy trees’ everywhere! I’ve got to start taking my camera with me more often. I saw another great one on my way home this morning.
those are really good! i mean, you’re a good photographer, but somehow i find those particularly good!
i can certainly see why the trees remind you of fanghorn! very creepy indeed! and so cool 🙂
you should definitely take your camera out with you more often.
Thanks JP, I really tried hard to find the right pictures and ended up taking alot that didn’t turn out the way I wanted…but that is why I loooooove digital photography. You can just keep snapping away until you get something you are satisfied with!