As writers, we cast our words into the world.
Like the snowflakes in these sculptures, each letter of the alphabet gives our imagination the structure in which to escape, gain new knowledge and connect with the vast universe.
We all use the same twenty-six and yet the mastery of the craft can amaze and even change time-honored perceptions.
In an attempt to engage, we write and then hope that others will take the time to view our work.
Success can be determined by the reaction to our effort.
Sometimes crowds linger long enough to leave their own impression.
Other times readers pass us by and our efforts melt during the heat of the day.
We have a choice. We can question our own abilities, lay exposed, vulnerable, pack up our tools and give up.
Or we can absorb the criticism, hone our skills and try again.
Eventually our words evaporate on the breath of a new day to form new snowflakes.
Why do you write?
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Susie Lindau's Wild Ride 
We have Winterlude here in the Ottawa area and the Rideau Canal to skate on but with -17 Celcius weather I walk to the grocery store and that is it. No ice or snow sculpture in the world could drag me out. I am that boring.. BUT that first photo is amazing…
Great photos..
HUGGGGGGGGGGG
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Love the name Winterlude! It has been really mild here and the sculptures were melting like crazy that weekend!
Thanks Linda and stay warm!
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Incredible sculpting! A tip of my hat to the artists. Hope your all well there. 🙂
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I am! There are pink skies over the mountains this morning… 🙂
Thanks John!
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“As writers, we cast our words into the world.”
So you’re telling me that you’re not only beautiful, Susie, you’re actually gifted as well?
You’ve got it ALL going on, don’t you?
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You are so sweet Hook! I don’t know about that, but I just keep working at the craft of writing!
Thanks so much Hook!
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Those are great sculptures.
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They sure are and yet they have now gone to the great could in the sky!
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It makes you wonder. What dedication to spend so much time on care on something that is so temporary.
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I know. It reminds me so much of blogging in that respect. We may get views and comments the first day, a few the second and after that, only if an SEO finds them.
At least we still have the old posts.:)
This was a contest and they come from all over the world to compete so there is some incentive to get your name out there if you are a sculptor.
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I hadn’t thought of blogging in that way but you’re right. I get some old posts that hit a search engine from time to time.- mainly the Slut’s guide to housework for obvious reasons – but yes after a few days no hits.
It makes sense if they are sculptors to get their names known. Like the free ones at Lapidiales .
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Beautiful sculptures! Are you to try one, Susie? 😉
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Nope! I am sticking with words as my tools Catherine!
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The photos are beautiful. We never see snow. Well, every once in a while there might be flurries but that’s rare. Right now the days are in the 70s and the nights are in the 40s and 50s. Why do I write? Something in me makes me write. Something wants to express my thoughts. I’ve always liked to write. It keeps my mind active. So even when it isn’t very good, it is good exercise for my brain.
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Thank you! It was so bright, I couldn’t see the view finder. 🙂
That is a great reason to write! It can be an amazing way to release our thoughts and reflect on them. Good exercise is right!
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Beautiful, Susie. We were up in Breck last year for the snow sculpture festival. It’s an amazing event. This year, we’re skiing Winter Park. I love these and great shots along with your awesome commentary.
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Thanks so much Cathy! I never know if people actually read them or blast through the photos. Sometimes it is hard to keep up so I can’t blame them.:)
It was packed that last weekend of the sculptures. It is a huge draw for the town.
Winter Park has gotten some pretty decent snow!
Enjoy!
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What awesome snow sculptures, probably the best I have ever seen. I write as a form of self-expression since I cannot draw or sculpt or paint.
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They really were cool close up. Pun intended. ..sorry..
Some were very intricate and I have no idea how they made them. I would love to go and watch them carve the blocks. Next year.. 🙂
You paint pictures with words just like I do, but I am an artist. The tools are very different, but the effect can be amazing!
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I love, love, love this! Those snow sculptures are fantastic ~ what talent! And the words you put together with just twenty-six letters of the alphabet are inspiring and encouraging.
I think my favorite photo is of the pristine, unblemished snow. There’s just so much opportunity there to create whatever we like.
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Thanks so much Tameri!
I am so glad that you “got” the unblemished snow metaphor. We are unlimited in how we create stories with our words, we just have unleash our imaginations and try!
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Beautifully written. If only I could get over the ‘questioning my own abilities part.’ Thanks for this.
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Thanks so much!
We all have to silence the little voices and keep on honing our skills! I feel like I am late to the party in that I just started writing a couple of years ago. I am like a sponge and don’t have time for any doubt. Besides I am enjoying myself so much! I am sure that you are too!
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That was beautifully done.
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Thank you! I wrote it on my way down from the mountains yesterday after looking at the photos I took the weekend before. Don’t worry. I wasn’t driving… 🙂
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LOL….glad to hear that. I loved it!
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The snow sculptures are amazing – and yet, I bet the first five, or fifty, sculptures these artists made looked lopsided and fell apart and just plain failed. That’s what I have to keep in mind: making snowballs and chattering to our friends comes naturally. Creating sculptures or stories takes skill that’s only learned by lots of practice, and the more complex you want your art to be the more practice you need. So I better go away and write now.
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That gave me shivers. Exactly! We have to keep trying. The thing most don’t realize is how much we need to practice anything we strive to do well!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read!
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Susie, were these sculptures done there in Boulder by a local artist? They are absolutely fantastic and sadly, will only be able to be held in a viewers mind, or in photos. Thanks for this post. Ya done good, girl !!!!!
Paul
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Thanks Paul!
They were created in Breckenridge (up in the mountains) by sculptors from all over the world. They compete every year! Most of them get more complicated every year. There are always a couple simple ones like the egg.
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Sculptures like these always knock me out. How the heck do they do that?! I enjoyed your ‘frozen’ words – so true.
Why do I write? I do it, because I can’t seem to not write. I’ve written since I was a little girl. It’s the sharing it with others that’s hard! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your words (and the awesome photos)!
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Thanks Mary!
I am late bloomer and writing is really pretty new for me! I’m coming up on my second anniversary. I have found my passion and can’t imagine stopping! Sharing has been a weird part of this experience. At first I was so excited and sent links to a few friends if I won an award. It took me a while to realize that wasn’t applause I was hearing, but crickets! 🙂
I really would like to be around when they carve them next year! 🙂
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nicely done Susie.
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Thanks so much! I thought it would be fun to share a little Monday morning philosophy.
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I write to share thoughts and ideas with others; to inform, amuse, even scare (horror writing) others, but only if they want any of that.
PS – I liked the big bear one the most.
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The bear was the first one I saw. It had a little Eskimo in the foreground, but there were so many people, I could get it all in one shot!
It is great to connect with you through your writing!
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You too!
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Liked the photos, but even more than that, I liked that I finally got an email notice of your post. Ever since I changed my email address three months ago I’ve had trouble getting the notices. Maybe I’ll start getting yours regularly now. I’ve missed you.
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Wow! Hey! I wondered where you were. Great to see you again!
That happened to Ellie Soderstrom’s blog emails. It was several months after the auto-follow comment debacle so I don’t know why I stopped getting her emails. .
I had accidentally unfollowed a bunch of blogs back then thinking I was unfollowing their comments… oops.
The sculptures were huge and well worth seeing!
Thanks David!
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Susie, I write because there are stories constantly growing in my brain. I tell them. I don’t have a campfire so I blog and write. Freakin’ awesome photos. Snowed yesterday and might tomorrow. It won’t accumulate. It lookslike April outside.
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I love that “stories are growing in your brain.” Mine too! Good thing it’s not fungus or mold…Hahaha! Sorry. I am punch happy since I have been rewriting aaaaalll day!
It is super warm here too. 50’s. I want snoooooowwww!
Thanks so much! It was a beautiful day for photos except I had a hard time seeing the viewfinder or screen…
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Snow is nice, especially in winter. Last year’s warm winter and the roller coaster temps don’t bode well for the Northeast. There’s a good chance we’ll get our collective a** kicked during hurricane season.
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I bet you are right about the hurricanes. The storms seem to keep escalating in size.
I wish we would get a good snow storm here. So far we are in a drought it seems. There are parts of Colorado that are above normal for precip! Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Therapy. It makes me happy. Period.
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There you go… 🙂 And it’s freeeeeeee!
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These sculptures are awesome! And, great photos too!
I blog as an outlet, a way to connect and share with others.
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Thanks so much Emily! Those are great reasons, especially in blogging. I think the people who use blogging as a journal or diary for themselves are probably in the minority.
The sculptures are amazing..
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Totally cool! I especially like the bull rider.
And your lovely poetic captions are perfect and inspirational. I feel as though I must leave work immediately, go home, and write like the fiend I am.
But, alas, this job pays the bills and so I must wait for the 5:00 whistle before I can go home and create.
Thanks for sharing.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
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Thanks so much Patricia! We just have to carve out the time for our writing.
The sculptures were incredible. I decided to think outside of the box for a little practice!
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Those are amazing sculptures. I can barely make a snowman.
I write because I like to be creative and entertain! I like to make people laugh.
Phil
http://www.blog.theregularguynyc.com
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It is cool how they are start with the same block of snow.
I bet you are a laugh riot to be around! Your post always make me giggle.!
Thanks Phil!
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Sculptors blow my mind. Using ice as the medium? Crazy. Here in Montreal they’ve built an ice village complete with an ice hotel that you can sleep in.
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Well, these were made of snow. They start out as an enormous block.
I would love to see the village! It has been too warm to create anything out of ice that would last for any length of time. Even in the mountains!
Thanks for coming by Mike!
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This is fantabulous!
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Thanks Julie! It was a great exercise in writing and the sculptures weren’t bad either… 😉
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Beautiful ice sculptures, Susie! Thanks so much for sharing 😉
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Glad you stopped by Rich! They are pretty cool! (pun intended..)
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They are indeed. Your photos were great!
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Thank you! It was hard to back up and get the whole sculpture in there were so many people…
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