Day 31 - Icicles

Day 31 - The icicle hanging from my flag pole caught my eye.  I guess I haven't really ever looked real close at one, or at least not since I was young and didn't have my mind bogged down with the other million things going on.  Since I am trying to notice beauty in the world and with mother nature making it real difficult on me the past few weeks I decided to give this formation another look.  I first noticed the different patterns in it formed by the air pockets frozen in natures work of art.  I liked the way the wood from my flag pole helped form the ridges at the top of it and what seems like particles of debris frozen in time within it.  

Icicles are formed when ice or snow is melted by the son or other source of warmth causing the moisture to drip from a surface where it is exposed to colder temperatures allowing it to refreeze. I know really large icicles can break off and be dangerous when they fall to the ground.  Small ones like this aren't harmful, only pretty to look at.  

As I have stated on more than one occasion in my blogs - I am not a big fan of winter.  I do find it pretty, if I can stay inside or only be outside in it long enough to snap a picture and go back into my warm surroundings.  Last night and again this morning I got stuck in my driveway because all the snow we have received lately turned to a semi-frozen slush.  Instead of concentrating on the negative aspects of getting stuck in one's own driveway I choose instead to be grateful that last night I had the wonderful assistance of my neighbor, friend and cousin Gene to give me a few pushes to help guide my van down the lane and into my garage.  This morning I was again assisted by my wonderful husband.  I guess had they not been around I would have worked at it until either I finally got  it unstuck or until I buried it enough that I needed to call for a tractor or tow truck to get me out.  But thanks to them I didn't have to worry about it.

Winter is a fact of life when you live in Illinois.  Winter is a time when we are grateful for the heat in our homes, the friends to give us that push and the knowledge that spring is a short time away.  I will continue to try to find things about winter that are worthy of a photo or two because I know that there will be a lot of beauty in the coming weeks that I will enjoy even more. 

In some ways we form, like an icicle.  When something warms us we open up and let life in a little more than before, but then some element of life can cause the freeze again.  Sometimes we also hold on like the icicle to the roof until something causes us to fall and shatter.  On those days we depend on those around us to again bring the warmth back into our lives so we can start again.  Life is full of elements that can make or break us.  It is our job to capture as much of the warmth as we can, continue to grow and if something causes us to fall we have to find the strength to get up and do it all again.  The thing we all have to remember is winter is only a small part of our lives, the tough stuff will get better if we work at it, and tomorrow will bring the opportunity to find more warmth and give us the opportunity to rebuild if need be.  

Enjoy the day and remember spring is only 16 days away.  Spread some sunshine to someone who needs it.