A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-28-06....Ice Castles

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, DollyCali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

Today is the last day of February, and spring is just around the corner, but before you get out your shorts and sandals, let's take one last look at the beauty that's only associated with winter - ice and snow sculptures.

A friend sent me these photographs last week, and they are absolutely breathtaking! Hope you enjoy them before they melt. :)

Your chariot is waiting...

Last one! Imagine all the hours that go into all of these creations, with no way to preserve them except through photographs and memory. Hat's off to these artists!

Brrrrrrr! Now who wants hot chocolate?

12-28-05 ~ Hall of Fame #14

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-27-06 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[stratocaster]

Does anyone know where these pictures are from. It looks Far Eastern to me. Maybe China or Japan?

[Billie]

Hmmm, I got in to the server just now, and Post #21 evidently sees the pictures - didn't post to me, but asked freema if she knew where the pictures were from.

[Billie]

I don't know where they were taken - they were forwarded to my friend by someone else - who probably got them from someone *else*, as emails go.

[NicknamedBob]

Ice

Water is a friend to us, a laughing, playful sprite,
Greeting us each morning, weeping in the night,
Sparkling in its banter, elusive in its zest.
Happy are the children who can understand it best.

Water is within us, and we a part of it,
We carry our own ocean or at least a little bit.
The red tide that has colored it tells of the blood we share,
More than all the breath we blow means we are partly air.

Our water is a food to us, and carries woes away,
And clouds become our cover tucking in at end of day.
A fever can bring fire to the balance that we seek,
And ever helpful water is a nurse when we are weak.

Yet even water can oppose us and bring its wrath to bear,
And crash upon our hovels when it teams up with the air.
Sometimes a sea of water overcomes us as a flood,
And we are left to wonder why an ocean needs our blood.

There comes a time when best of friends must pass,
Our friend the water turns into a stone of glass,
And frozen clouds and turbulence made into solid form,
And all the softness goes out from the thing that had been warm.

Yes, water dies and brings its own fresh flowers to the wake,
A petaled tear which gently falls as a snowflake,
Yet water has one lesson still to teach us and to warn,
That we will have a cycle too, and we will be reborn.

That we will pound ourselves against the rocks upon the shore,
Eroding folly and excesses in our never-ending war.
A fight against all prejudice and hatred til we sleep,
And joined with other mourners is the water that they weep.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 6, 2004

[luvie]

Beautiful, Bob. You do have a way with words.

Did ya have a good birthday? Sure hope so.

[.30Carbine]

Awesome! Thanks so much for the ping!

[Billie]

Thanks for dressing up the thread with your pretty "Ice" poem, Bob - it's perfect!

I am gone now! G'nite all!

[Billie]

Okay, I 'was' going and then I see a 'new' face I didn't say hi and bye to. :) Hi, and g'nite and thank you!

[NicknamedBob]

"Did ya have a good birthday?"

Oh yes! Survived another one.

It should be safe to sleep now.

[luvie]

Good night, Billie. Thanks for all that you do. See you tomorrow.

[luvie]

Hee-hee! Well, sweet dreams when you do sleep.

[luvie]

I finally saw all of them and they are exquisite! Thanks again for putting together such beauty for us.

[Feiny]

My dad sent me an email a few days ago with the pictures from the Lake Placid Ice Festival. Beautiful.

[hole_n_one]

I wonder whatever happened to Robby Benson...........

Hi, Billie!

[Kate of Spice Island]

Awwww....

It looks like a Cinderella coach if the fairy godmother had only thought to make it glass.

I guess it is appropriate enough since I am telling all of my FRiends here that I am getting married.

Hugs,

Kate

[LadyX]

"Look, it's snowing!! Care to meet for pancakes?!"

Thank you, but I think I'll have a sausage and egg biscuit -

I do believe the *pancake* might melt
on the plate before I could devour it..:))

[dixie sass]

Ummmm, Sausage Biscuit sure would hit the spot right, but I have to take the dog out - phooey!!!!

[MEG33]

Thank you Billie Blue.... Beautiful!

[GodBlessUSA]

Wow These are spectacular. It does break my heart, they melt. It takes a strong person to create such beauty knowing it's temporary. Amazing creations.

[freema]

And don't you just do the neatest things with words! You've made me pull another memory up from storage in the basement : ) Walking thru the woods on a snowy afternoon on the cliffs of a lake, coming across the frozen splashes of water that were suspended in time the instant they hit the air-a little surprise in the magnificent beauty that only God's hand can create.