December 10, 2011
Such natural beauty
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice0.jpg)
…about the musicPatterned still life.
It’s been chilly here overnight, then bright bright bright stillness and warmer, 40-something temps during the day. Yesterday morning I walked out to my car around ten o’clock, accompanied by a sun that blazed low and hot on my back as I entered the prairie grass field behind the house. I was greeted with something extraordinary. And, so beautiful, I nearly wept.
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice1.jpg)
A tsunami, of sorts. A giant wave to ride.
A set of fallen leaves.
A collection of feathers, gently landed.
Frozen, museum quality art.
Nature’s natural crystallization at work. Brilliant, Escher-esque patterns and perfect math and utter perfection. I’ve never seen anything like this.
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice3.jpg)
![[IMAGE] winter sun](/blog/blogpix/wintersun.jpg)
Oh, and in case you can’t tell…. it was the ice on my windshield.
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice2.jpg)
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice4.jpg)
I live amidst wildlife.
I eat wild rice.
And now I can add wild ice to my list!
![[IMAGE] glass ice](/blog/blogpix/glassice5.jpg)
Laurie MacBride said,
December 11, 2011 @ 4:25 pm
Absolutely lovely!
Glenn Buttkus said,
December 14, 2011 @ 10:06 am
I played “At the Abyss: Reflect:@2:12 several times, peering out passionately at the perilous frost icing on my new deck, realizing I am not Hans Brinker, and will have to exit the house through the basement. Your piece on natural beauty/patterned still life was incredible. Not only did you capture some incredible images, per usual, but really otherworldly moments, but you seduced us, before giving us a Shapiro smile, a Wednesday snort; you vixen, you. And the piece was ripe with poetics. One paragraph, the second one actually, was already written in free verse. You are beginning to play with words like you do melody, seeing the shape of poetry like you do your musical notes, rendering thought to a symphony of words; loved it.
Wild Ice
Yesterday morning I walked
out to my car around ten o’clock,
accompanied by a sun that blazed
low and hot on my back
as I entered the prairie grass
field behind the house.
I was greeted with something extraordinary.
And, so beautiful, I nearly wept.
A tsunami, of sorts. A giant wave to ride.
A set of fallen leaves.
A collection of feathers, gently landed.
Frozen, museum quality art.
Nature’s natural crystallization at work.
Brilliant, Escher-esque patterns
and perfect math and utter perfection.
I’ve never seen anything like this.
Oh, and in case you can’t tell….
it was the ice on my windshield.
I live amidst wildlife.
I eat wild rice.
And now I can add wild ice to my list!
Alex Shapiro
Bernard said,
December 15, 2011 @ 3:51 am
Astonishing. Are you sure you didn’t engrave those patterns yourself while studying a book of Lalique glass designs, Alex? Must have been sad hacking them off. Or did you walk that day?
Alex Shapiro said,
December 15, 2011 @ 5:04 am
Thanks, Glenn!
Alex Shapiro said,
December 15, 2011 @ 5:14 am
You’re absolutely right, Bernard: it was sad for me to have to clear my windshield. I reluctantly fished out the ice scraper from the back of the car, only because I had somewhere I needed to go. As I destroyed the very thing that gave me so much joy, I reminded myself that the photos I’d taken would allow me, and anyone else stumbling across this blog, to capture this momentary perfection and appreciate it endlessly.
Paul Muller said,
December 17, 2011 @ 10:15 pm
Hi Alex,
I know you are on the road and it’s a busy time of year… I’ve made a short video from your sequence of ice pattern photos and I’ve, ahem, added my own music to it.
Would like to post to YouTube and will do so when you advise your permission. Wish I could pay you what the images are worth… but I’m hoping you will be generous in the holiday spirit.
Best Regards,
Paul Muller
Alex Shapiro said,
December 18, 2011 @ 4:37 am
I’m glad that the pix inspired you, Paul! You’re welcome to use them– just include a credit and a link to my blog somewhere in the flick. I look forward to seeing it!
Paul Muller said,
December 18, 2011 @ 5:44 pm
Thanks so much for your fast response and kind permission to use the images. I’ve listed you in the closing credits (top billing!) and have included the blog URL.
Here is what I posted: http://youtu.be/-Zqji7WE55A
(This video is not posted for any revenue-generating purpose.)
Thanks again for everything!
P.M.
Alex Shapiro said,
December 20, 2011 @ 4:26 pm
And stay tuned, folks: I like what Paul created so much that I’m sending him the high resolution photos, and he’ll re-edit the film to his lovely, serene music! I’ll post it when it’s done.
Newscap: Thursday, and all through the house… | San Juan Island Update: News about the things that make living here great. said,
December 21, 2011 @ 11:42 pm
[…] • I love Alex Shapiro’s photos & reflections on the ice feathers & designs….here’s more, on her blog. […]
notes from the kelp » Nice ice said,
January 29, 2012 @ 4:22 pm
[…] kelphisto komrade komposer named Paul Muller enjoyed these photos so much, that he took the time to set them to his very well-suited music in this compelling, […]