• Tuesday-What'sUP December 13 - 07:09 am

Here in the Upper Peninsula the past few days, the temperatures have been almost what you'd consider balmy, at least as far as U.P. December temperature norms go. So the snow we've already received is dwindling down, melting and forming dripping icicles like these spotted by Joyce Tormala. Take note, in that first shot, the reflection in the drip of water still hanging on the icicle, along with that backdrop of brilliant blue sky. The second shot has a darker background, but is brilliantly mirroring the sunshine that's causing those droplets to form. Mother nature at its finest, for sure!

All of the snow is melting here in the UP from all of the gorgeous warm weather we had over the weekend!! So now it will have to get cold and snow all over again. The warm weather sure was nice while it lasted. Even got to clean windows on my car! Looks nice for now! We got up to 55 on Saturday, at least on our thermometer.

Hey, something is dripping!

What a unique close-up of icicles! The drips seem to be suspended in mid-air.

Great pictures Joyce...as always! Can always tell when yours are up! Hopefully we'll be on our way home tomorrow night!!

Drip! Drip! Drip! Hear alot of that going on with the unusually warm weather.

Very warm here in MN also. We have been getting rain rather than snow. AND it's not even freezing rain which is wonderful.

"I wish you'd write me a letter about the frost,
You can't be warm, unless there's a frost, you know.
And about the little birch tree,
The bashful one, white as white can be,
In its cloak of snow.
Write me about the drifts
That are piled up to a giant's shoulders,
And tell me everything about the blizzards
That strike so savagely and kiss so hotly.
Every kiss a sting.
Write me about how thick the ice is in the stream,
And how it sparkles in the moonlight.
Write me all about the stove, how it crackles easily,
And how the cricket chirps in the wall.
Be good, and write me about the fire in the hearth,
All the small homely things beyond belief.
I remember how I would hold my wrist to the flames,
And it looked as transparent as the maple leaf.
Oh far and far away is my Russia,
Dressed in silver, bridal in her bright array.
Here, rain runs over the sidewalks slantingly,
Spring-fashion, on a January day.
Don't look for blizzards here, don't hope to see fresh-fallen snow.
There is no winter here where men wear rubbers
And not thick felt boots,
And capes, not overcoats, at the end of the year.
Where they have radiators in every room,
And hot baths at any hour, day or night.
But I am lost, with nothing to keep me warm.
Send me a snowstorm and I'll be all right."
----Yevegny Dolmatovsky
(Said to be written by a Russian solder in Paris.
This was one of mother's favorite poems, and, I guess, also mine.)

I haven't seen an icicle in so long I forgot about them.Very cool Joyce,thanx. I'am going to watch it melt away.Temp is in the 60's here in Knoxville,TN.

Both of the pictures above are so pretty. I love them both.

JAD,
That poem is kind of sad. You can really feel the homesickness the author has. Thanks.

JAD, what a lovely poem. I see why it was a favorite.

Back to icicles; Do you know how snowmen travel? They ride icicles.

My son will love that one!

Absolutely superb photography; thank you, Joyce. And thanks to JAD for sharing the poem. It voices exactly how this transplanted Michigander feels about New Jersey.