 sj |
||
|
||
BS: Snow Dragons
|
|
|
Subject: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 17 Mar 01 - 11:21 PM We all wanted to go skiing today, so when we woke up to see the snow falling we got pretty excited, gulped down our breakfasts and then groaned. The snow had turned to rain! So we hoped for better skiing weather for tomorrow and turned to other things, fairly subdued. Lissa (11) made a new Age Of Empires Scenario for us to play later, James (aka, Malveka, or Mal for short) went to work on the 3D album cover he's making for my Slow Now CD, and I picked up my guitar and practised the songs I plan on recording this week... I guess we got pretty engrossed each in our own thing for a number of hours, because when I looked out the window again the rain had disappeared and the snow was coming down on Upstate New York like the gods were havin' a pillow fight and the feathers were flying --big fluffy white chunks of snow floating down like huge chicken feathers. I was feeling bored and a little restless by then, and that snow just started calling me, you know? So I asked who wanted to go out with me to the mailbox at the end of the drive and collect the mail. Lissa and I went out into the white world. She threw a snowball at me but missed, and I began to roll it to make it bigger, and the next thing we knew we'd started something. And then we even knew what it was going to be. The snow was warm and so easy to pack and roll into a ball, we made four huge balls and placed them equidistant from one another on the lawn just past the curve of the drive (the one we haven't been using since it started snowing in earnest. We have neither the time or inclination to shovel it out. It'll melt soon enough.), then we got the mail and consolidated our vision of what we had started to create. We dug into the snow with our gloved hands and with the snow shovel. It was heavy packing snow. Just right for the rather ambitious task we'd given ourselves. When it was half finished we ran inside and called James to help us, and since he was feeling a bit left out of the fun, he told us later, he joined us with enthusiasm, (and even brought the camera out with him). Gosh! That was fun! We took some pictures but I'm not sure how well they turned out. White on white in the dusk. I'll post them if anyone is interested. So now until the next melt-down, anyone who enters our private domain will come face to face with Caradhras, the Snow Dragon, rearing back to freeze them with her icy breath into ice-statues if they prove to be more foe than friend... Tomorrow the plan is to create a pair of clawed dragon-forelegs rearing out of the snow as if the second dragon were following the first here from some frozen netherland dimension beneath the snow. That is, if it doesn't rain... Or snow the really good skiing snow! I really wanted to share this with someone. I can't think of people who would appreciate it more than my fellow mudcatters. Anyone else got a really nice snow story to share? I'd love to hear it. ~ Jande (Seanna Rowe)
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: katlaughing Date: 17 Mar 01 - 11:25 PM Pictures? Send them in! It sounds like wonderful fun and would be a blast to see them! If you look at the Mudcatters Photoloft thread in the Perathread Mudcat FAQs it will tell you where to send them. Very kewl! kat |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 17 Mar 01 - 11:39 PM PICTURES!!!!! Nice writing, too. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Matt_R Date: 18 Mar 01 - 12:00 AM Caradhras, also known as Barazinbar, Redhorn, the impassable snow-covered mountain that straddled Khazad-Dûm? And topped with Zirak-Zigil, Durin's Tower? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 18 Mar 01 - 12:49 AM LOL! Matt! Did you look that up TLOTR? Or was it entirely from memory? Kat and Hes: Thanks! the pics turned out not-so-good, but I jiggered with the brightness/contrast and made 'em into grey-scale, so they are passable. We'll be taking more in the sunlight tomorrow (if ther is any!) Here they are: Snow Dragon Front View (I hope I got the blue clickies html right) Hes! Thanks for the appreciation of the writing! Coming from an excellent writer like you, I'm deeply honoured. {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Matt_R Date: 18 Mar 01 - 12:54 AM From memory of course! After reading The History several times, it comes naturally. Lol! Great looking snow sculpture, BTW! Every march, the sculpture department (which I wish I was part of instead of CA!) here at ECU has a snow/ice sculpture contest in the middle of March. I'm sure your dragon would make a winning entry! --Matt |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 18 Mar 01 - 12:57 AM Thanks for the compliment Matt! The snow got very cold and unworkable later in the day so we weren't able to get her back built up the way we wanted, but she'll do. Glad you enjoyed the pics. ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 18 Mar 01 - 01:01 AM BTW, Matt, what's CA and ECU? ~ Jande (ignorant cuss, me!) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: katlaughing Date: 18 Mar 01 - 01:04 AM Very KEWL, Dragon!! Thanks for the piccies! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Matt_R Date: 18 Mar 01 - 01:08 AM ECU is my college, East Carolina University (Greenville, NC!) CA is Communication Arts...AKA Commercial Art. I'm submitting for a photography major. I suck at it, and get great grades in sculpture, wood design, metals, ceramics, etc. But unfortunately there's no money in it. So I either have to get better at CA or be poor. I'd rather face down old Scala the Worm himself! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 18 Mar 01 - 08:00 AM Wonderful pictures! We're pretty sick of snow here in southern NH- it isn't buildable any more, or walkable (no snowshoes) and it's great to see someone make a work of art out of it! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Naemanson Date: 18 Mar 01 - 08:16 AM Beautiful dragon! And lovely writing. It was ALMOST enough to make me wish it would snow again but I am getting tired of winter. I am ready for Spring to leap into view and spread her warmth over the land. And melt all that $@#%@@!#%@^# snow. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Tig Date: 18 Mar 01 - 11:07 AM Never made Snow Dragons (rarely enough snow) but I do enjoy making Snow Bunnies. It's fun leaving them in all sorts of unexpected places like peoples doorsteps. I use a plastic jelly mould and pack it well with snow like making a sandcastle. You can even leave trails by using your finger tips and then a bun at the end. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: SINSULL Date: 18 Mar 01 - 01:22 PM WOW! Neat dragon! Dimensions??? A few years back, it snowed and snowed in NYC until we thought a new ice age had begun. After the first storm, a neighbor sculpted a huge beagle on the front lawn. And there it stayed for months and months guarding the door. A wonderful sight in those dreary days. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: SINSULL Date: 18 Mar 01 - 01:24 PM Snow sculptors here in the states color their accomplishments with jello - yellow and green would work for your dragon. But I prefer him white. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Bearheart Date: 18 Mar 01 - 04:59 PM Beautiful ! writing AND pictures! Bekki |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: tiggerdooley Date: 19 Mar 01 - 02:52 AM Dragon is gorgeous!!!!!! My only snow sculpture was a set of garden furniture... There were two chairs and a table, and the table had stuff on it like glasses. it wasn't very pretty, but at least it had a practical use... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Kim C Date: 19 Mar 01 - 05:40 PM How cool!!! Tig, I made a snow chair once. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: mousethief Date: 19 Mar 01 - 05:48 PM Nice dragon! Y'all have every right to feel proud of your accomplishment. And I, also, liked reading what you wrote about it. Alex |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 20 Mar 01 - 09:15 AM Kewel! Ok, MORE PICTURES!!! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:06 PM mousethief, Kim C, tiggerdooley, Bearheart, Naemanson, Animaterra, kat, tig, thanks for your kind comments. I'm glad you enjoyed my first thread to Mudcat. SINSULL, I thought briefly about the coloured gels and food colouring. (We did try to preserve our creations by spraying them down with a fine spray of water to ice-encapsulate them, and I think it helped a bit... but it has been warm). I have no food colouring anyway, but I felt that I rather liked them white, myself. Glad we agree! They have given me an idea for a short story which I do hope someday to find the time to write, though time is in short supply these days it seems.
Matt, "The History" ? Do you have an ISBN for that? Thanks for your fine praise! Had us all preening!
we did take an hour to work/play a little more on our dragons (yes, now two of them. Lissa started out to make the arms of the second dragon and ended up making a baby dragon istead. LOL! Very cuuuute! Here are some coloured photos (I think there may be some more, too, but we have an awful bad habit of not labelling the diskettes that our camera uses (Sony Mavika FD91):
If the story works I'll try to get a ballad out of it, too. Cross yer fingers for me!
~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: SINSULL Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:10 PM Tig, I love the idea of snow bunnies. Next winter it will give me something to look forward to. My only snow accomplishment: Snow Angels. Drop and flail. The new photos need clicky connections. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:11 PM Eeek! Sorry! forgot the "adult & baby dragon Back & Tail (see the little wings?) Another view from the front. (Melting) Lissa's baby dragon (James made the head) ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:13 PM Thanks, SINSULL! Do I need sleeeeeep? (ANS: yes!) ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Liz the Squeak Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:19 PM Fantastic dragons, and I should know, I've got over 400!! Wonderful... but not really Caradhras the cruel..... more cute!! LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Lonesome EJ Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:25 PM Great dragon, Jande. You ever play AOE on the Internet Gaming Zone? I play there once in a while. Look for Donahee. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: mousethief Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:25 PM Links no work for me. Waaah. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: MMario Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:46 PM adult & baby dragon Back & Tail (see the little wings?) Another view from the front. (Melting) Lissa's baby dragon (James made the head) ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: MMario Date: 20 Mar 01 - 04:47 PM well those don't work either - there was a mistake in the html I fixed - but still getting file not found |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 05:07 PM Ooops! Darn, I'll have another look. It's possible that they havn't shown up on the server yet I guess. I put them up just before I sent the post. ~ Jande (Thanks Mario!)
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Wavestar Date: 20 Mar 01 - 05:09 PM You get points in the really cool department. I salute you all :) -J |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 05:26 PM Sheesh! Sorry! I left out the last folder name in the html. I'm tired. Nap time anyone? Back & Tail (see the little wings?) Another view from the front. (Melting) Lissa's baby dragon (James made the head) Okay, these should work this time. Thanks for bearing with me. ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 05:35 PM I'm scratching my head. I must be even more tired than I thought. These still aren't working. Grah! (I feel like the little child who cried "dragon" --"There really *is* a dragon this time! Really!") Back & Tail (see the little wings?) Another view from the front. (Melting) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 05:47 PM Whew! Finally!! Those are working. Liz the Squeak, Lonesome EJ, Wavestar, et al, Thanks! I'll pass your praise on to my fellow dragon conspiritors. I guess you're right about the name. But She really does look much more fierce up close. (I think) Lonesome EJ/Donahee, I haven't played on the Zone yet. tried the other day to get our LAN to work over the Zone but it would only get us to the "if the game doesn't start in 15 seconds, press esc." window. When I get there I'll look for you. I'm still quite a novice. Just moved up to playing three (humans) on three (computers) on moderate. (oops! Thread drift!) ~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: mousethief Date: 20 Mar 01 - 06:05 PM Draci fantabili! Way to go, Jande and family! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 06:16 PM ::blush:: Thanks Mousethief! ~Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Sorcha Date: 20 Mar 01 - 07:33 PM These are sooooo darling! I'm not sure, though, that I want to see enough snow to make one............good job, guys! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 20 Mar 01 - 08:30 PM Ooooooooooohhhhhh! VERY cool! Thanks for doing this here, eh? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Noreen Date: 20 Mar 01 - 09:44 PM Very friendly looking dragon! A misunderstood race. Thanks for posting this, Jande. And you got "Thread of the Week"!! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 09:47 PM Hey! YW, Hes, eh? Sorcha, We got very little snow this year. Lots of {{{c.o.l.d}}} but little snow except for a couple of storms. We only had to shovel out once, for the heating guys to get in, then we found out after we cleared enoughof the drive for them to get their truck in, that they had already been here and filled up the tanks, so we needn't have done it after all! LOL! So I'm not sick of snow yet. Besides, I just started to learn to ski last weekend. :`) Thanks for the compliments on our "snow art". ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: catspaw49 Date: 20 Mar 01 - 10:01 PM Fantastic stuff Jande......Simply amazing!! Sinsull........I bet there was plenty of yellow around that beagle after the winter................. Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 10:14 PM Noreen, you said: "And you got "Thread of the Week"!!" ??? I'm honoured, but... Whassat? ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 20 Mar 01 - 10:37 PM There is a mudcat radio show... your thread got picked as "thread of the week" on the show. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 20 Mar 01 - 10:50 PM ::pleased blush!:: Oooh! Thanks!! Ummm... Why? ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: alison Date: 20 Mar 01 - 11:20 PM wonderful dragons..... thank you..... slainte alison |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Noreen Date: 21 Mar 01 - 07:06 AM Ask Bert- he was very taken with the thread. He thought it was a mudcatty thing to do: but maybe next time you can build a snow-catfish jumping out of a banjo?? *grin* Noreen |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 21 Mar 01 - 07:27 AM LOL! I'll do my best, Noreen! ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: John Routledge Date: 21 Mar 01 - 02:00 PM Jande - The Front Dragon Photo looks wonderful on my desktop. Try it folks! Happy days wherever possile. John |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Noreen Date: 21 Mar 01 - 09:01 PM Jande, the Mudcat Radio programs are archived, so you can go and find out for yourself! Go to QuickLinks at top of page, drop down and seect Mudcat Radio. You'll need to download Real Audio, but there is a link there- it's free, though theytry very hard to hide the free version... Or see if this http://www.mudcat.org/radio.cfmtakes you direct. Noreen |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Bert Date: 22 Mar 01 - 12:06 PM The thread of the week is my personal choice. It's the thread that 'I' like the best. I had several reasons for choosing this thread. The snow was not good skiing snow, but Jande made the best of it and went out and HAD FUN ANYWAY. Not content with simply making a snowman, they got quite FRIVOLOUS and did SOMETHING DIFFERENT. And the result of this was an excellent work of FOLK ART. Actually, I'm not sure if it is 'really' folk art, because it appears to be rather more skilled than most of what we accept as folk art. I'm claiming the 'folk' designation because the work is temporary ad I needed a reason to justify it's choice as thread of the week on a folk site. We need more people in this world who can go out and just have fun, and who can dare to be different, even slightly outrageous, and who can produce works of art just for the sheer hell of it. Thank you Jande for a wonderful thread. Bert. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: MMario Date: 22 Mar 01 - 12:15 PM Bert - I think snow sculpture would fall under any reasonable definition of "folk art" - now chainsaw carving of ice sculptures would be a little harder to include.... but in this case - "found materials" and the most basic of tools, if any, - you can't fault Jande and family for having skill and an artistic sense, now can you? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Bert Date: 22 Mar 01 - 12:28 PM I wasn't faulting her, just making the comment that the work was more of a classical nature. Better than a lot of the folk art that we see. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Lonesome EJ Date: 22 Mar 01 - 12:28 PM Damn, Bert! First time I remember you actually citing criteria for a Thread of the Week choice! See folks...therr is method to his madness! :>} LEJ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Noreen Date: 22 Mar 01 - 01:13 PM So- we'll all be using bert's stated criteria to compete for Fred of the Week, in future, folks?? *BG* |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Bert Date: 22 Mar 01 - 01:22 PM You're laboring under the misapprehension here 'That Bert is consistent' |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Penny S. Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:04 PM Did a snow hedgehog once - the house next door had scaffolding, and the scaffolding had icicles a couple of feet or more long, so my friend went climbing and retrieved them. Great fun. Penny |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Noreen Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:06 PM Lovely, Penny! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:18 PM Bert! Thankyou so much! I can't tell you how honoured I am that the very first thread I started on Mudcat ended up being your pick of the week! And that so many people responded to it with enthusiasm. Thanks for explaining 'why' you picked it, too!
Just as a "slight" aside, my partner's daughter, who created the baby dragon and the legs, feet and half of the claws for the big dragon (and then taught her dad how so he made the claws for the back legs) won an honourable mention certificate and pin last night at an art show for a wonderful watercolour of a cat. Her only idsappaointment was that her art teacher had matted the picture in such a way that she completely covered up the two darling mice that were an integral part of the painting! She probably thought she was doing her a faavour by "improving" the painting. But Lissa was quite disappointed. I wish people wouldn't do things like that to kids.
Anyway, Mal took some pictures that I have now uploaded to my art site. If you love cats as much a Lissa does you'll love this painting.
If you're interested they are here:
Lissa receiving her prize & certificate (room was very dark at the time for the slide show.)
Proud Lissa with her prize-winning be-ribboned art.
This is real "folk art".
~ Jande
|
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:01 PM Jande somehow forgot to mention that she IS an artist! (...among many other things, lol.) Great pictures, again. Congrats, Lissa! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:06 PM Oh... was I 'sposed to, Hes? I'll pass your compliments on to Mal/James and your congrats to Melissa! Thanks! ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: hesperis Date: 23 Mar 01 - 11:09 PM Of course you were! "We need to know" these things. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Sorcha Date: 23 Mar 01 - 11:29 PM Sorry, Jande, that's not Folk Art, that's Fine Art......Lissa is how old, you say? That cat is FAR better than a lot of stuff I have seen in galleries. Her (own, not the cat's) "eye" is better than many professinals........incredible stuff for an adult to do, let alone a kid. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 25 Mar 01 - 07:01 PM Sorcha: I will definitely pass this on to Lissa when she visits us again on Wed evening! Thankyou! (I agree) ~ Jande |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Snow Dragons From: Jande Date: 30 Mar 01 - 06:43 PM well, I didn't get a chance to pass on your praise to her on Wed, but she is with us for the whole weekend, so I'll show her tomorrow. She and James are at the Circus tonight. I dislike circuses, so I'm having a happy evening at home. The Snow Dragons are but a memory of snow now. Little muddy white mounds quickly melting in the rain... ~ Jande |
