We went to the Ice Castle in Midway during our Christmas Break, and it was as beautiful as ever. We had gone and loved it three years ago (and tell me, WHO do you suppose this teeny elf-baby is? It's GOLDIE, if you please!), though I admit I wasn't sure we could be just as amazed by it again. But happily…we were!
On the drive up, Teddy was doing this face, which is what he does when he finds himself suddenly the center of attention and doesn't know quite whether to be shy or silly. I was quite pleased to get it on camera.
And when we arrived, we were in the middle of a snowstorm. The snow just…what does snow do? Not POURED down, but…puffed down? Wafted down? That sounds too gentle for what it was: relentless and thick and enveloping. There were times when we could hardly see! Luckily we were dressed warmly (those of us who were dressed by ME, anyway…and those who weren't, have only themselves to blame!) and it really did make everything seem so foreign and magical, like we had been transported into some Norse fairy tale.
Everything was white, white. Sometimes you could hardly tell the difference between the ice and the sky.
A little tunnel for little people
Teddy was not the steadiest.
It was quite fun feeling the snow pile up on our heads and cling to our eyelashes.
King Svam and his baby.
The one bad thing was that we had forgotten mittens for Teddy, and of course he wouldn't put his hands in his pockets, so his fingers kept getting redder and puffier and colder. Then Sam would try to warm up Teddy's chubby little hands in HIS big hands, and instead of accepting with heartfelt murmurs of gratitude, Teddy would growl and pull them free so they could get all cold and red again. Finally, I tried putting my gloves on Teddy instead, and then he was happier.
I mean…he was like this. Whatever that is.
I think it was happier. Because he stopped complaining so much.
Yes. Definitely happier.
One of my favorite things about going here is taking pictures of all the ice formations: they are so organic and abstract! Like being in a cave. And the light defines them differently from every angle, it seems. Abe had fun taking pictures too, this time.
There was an ice slide this year, and the kids waited in line to go on it. It looked fun (but cold!).
I liked how Goldie just kept her hands in her pockets the entire way down.
Junie was pleased with her own bravery.
Goldie kept her hands in her pockets the whole time we were there, in fact. Ever since she discovered the whole pocket 'thing' she has been a big fan. Smart girl.
Several people.
People, closer. Look how Goldie is standing aloof. Can you see her face?
Here it is.
Oh, the poor little lamb! I never did get out of her what was wrong. She had cheered up again in a minute, but clearly some grave injustice had been visited upon her.
This was another slide, a cool little double-tunnel made of ice blocks. No line for this one, so the kids rode it lots of times.
Pockets!
Daisy found an icicle-piece.
The sky had brightened a bit earlier, but as it got closer to dusk, the ice and the snow and the sky all started to fade together again. I loved seeing the ice in the sunlight a few years ago, because the light came through it in such cool ways, but there was something I loved about the pale, tone-on-tone effect from the falling snow and diffused twilight. It felt so peaceful and muffled and calm.
At night the ice is lit from within, which creates its own cool effect. The lights change colors slowly.
I like the white light best, because it's so…icy.
I loved the way little puffs of new snow sat on top of all the columns and curtains of ice.
I liked the way the lights here hinted at some sort of glowing cavern beyond. Like I've always imagined "In the Hall of the Mountain King."
Eek! And suddenly they're the fires of hell. I don't like the red light as much. :)
The snow was SO thick and pretty as we walked out to our car. I haven't been actually out IN a snowstorm for a long time and I liked it! Knowing that we'd soon be in the warm car, of course. :)
Such a beautiful winter evening and a beautiful place to go!
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