The sunrise never quite came out today. It tried… it thought about it.

Instead, we got a kind of pastel, layered sunrise hovering low on the horizon adding to a beautiful reflection downtown.

The lake might have been melted around Montrose Harbor, but up my Bryn Mawr it was a much different story. Huge frozen shards piled up all along the lakefront… with more icebergs floating out past the wreckage!

The clouds moved in, grew dark and I got one last dramatic shot as I prepared to pedal home…

With the sun shining, I decided to pile in a few layers and go for a much needed bike ride. Sure, the temp was below freezing, but it was a beautiful ride with the warmth of the sun on my back. Not much snow left. Just a lot of frozen puddles & floating icebergs. So beautiful. So much fun!!! Okay, sure there are still a few sections that are frozen over or covered with mushy snow… had to portage my bike over certain sections!

It was beautiful when I got down to Fullerton with an incredible view of the skyline… and more than a few icebergs floating in the water!

Certain sections of the lakefront had more icebergs than others. I love how they’re so geometrically shaped… and oddly so evenly spaced from each other?!

While standing there admiring the icebergs, I stumbled upon this “frozen fossil” that has been carved into the stone. I’ve on that some spot so many times, so many mornings, so many rides… and yet somehow I just noticed it for the first time today?!

And then I also found this really cool, all pun intended, ice cube sitting on the shoreline. It was a big block of ice. Just sitting there. I loved the layers and crystallization inside!

Back on the bike… and more frozen puddles. But when they get to be this large, is it safe to assume I we can call them “ponds”???

As the sun continued to shine, you could see that the layers of ice & snow slowly meting away. I love how the leaves melt the snow a bit faster and create a halo-effect around them. And yes, if you look really close, those are indeed blades of GREEN GRASS poking through!!! And in some spots, actually supporting the thin ice layer so it appears to be “floating.”

Back on the bike and headed home… past several more beautifully frozen “ponds”!!!

Sure, I’ve been enjoying the beautiful icicles & formations on my back porch.
Admiring & sharing. Embracing the cold. Appreciating nature.

I never really imagined what was happening three floors down… SOLID ICE!!!
Well, today I finally went around to take a look at the not-so-pretty side of the ice.

Apparently the gutters are frozen and overflowing, creating cascading waterfalls freezing down the sides of our building…. and piling up all over our back porch steps. Treacherous. It’s going to take quite awhile for this mess to melt away!

And it’s not only the main stairs… it’s the steps going down to the basement as well. Those steps are covered over with inches of ice, and end in a solid sheet of ice! Ice everywhere. Get your skates ready!!!

So I stepped out onto my back porch again today. Still frozen.
But I was struck with the beauty of the icicles & shadows as they played across the brick wall. While I was a bit confused by the frozen waterfall covering a patch of brick wall?! How did THAT get there???

And what was making all of the cool shadows on the wall, you may ask?
My favorite curtain of rusty metal things, cogs & cowbells! Welcome to my back porch!

These are incredible icicles building up on my back porch stairs. Beautiful, but not quite safe. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen these form like this on my third floor landing. Guess that’s another good reason to stay inside today?!

And what’s with these strange “bubble” rounded bumps of ice forming? Pretty groovy.

Another cold Saturday. It’s snowing again.
And there’s more frost forming on my windows. Love the feathery crystal formations!
Guess I “need” to stay inside today…

C’mon… don’t they look like feathers??? I love the delicate swirls.
The repetition of lines. The organic way they’re all “growing” out from the center.

You know it’s extra snowy & windy when there’s a snow drift INSIDE my condo vestibule! But I guess that’s really no surprise after I woke up with a dusting of snow on my bed. Guess that’s what I get for keeping my window open year-round, huh?!

It’s freezing cold outside this morning.
Like something Princess Elsa might have done to the town of Arendelle… but I digress.
As I was leaving this morning, I was amazed by this wonderfully frozen fern that was sadly “forgotten” in our back courtyard. Wonderful winter sculpture… yet not so good for the fern!

Just for the record… Disney’s “Frozen” was really good.            There. I said it.
Beautifully animated. Great songs. Intriguing characters. And a good plot twist or two!
And I’m not too proud to say “Yes, I do like Disney movies.”

Less than two hours until the opening of Winter WonderFest.
Lots of lights, lots of crazy themed trees, and a LOTS of people coming soon!!!
And we’re almost done… just a little more glitter…