Ice park photos and snuggles

DL and I went to the Ice Park last weekend. It was late in the season--the winners had been judged for weeks--but the sculptures had held up well due to the stable weather with no heat spells nor cold snaps. However, it seemed a bit... bleak and dark this year. Some half dozen of the entrants had themes of death and destruction, and souls being sucked into Perdition. I avoided photographing those darker ones, but now I wish I had. I feel like they reflect the mood of our international consciousness (most of the entrants are not American; China, Russia, and Scandinavian countries dominated the international scene). Here are some examples though:

"And Hell's Coming With Me!" depicting a demon rising from a grave.
"Heat of Big Cities" depicting an ogre cooking an entire city in a frying pan.
"Chained Evolution" recalling slavery (although this one was astonishingly skillfully carved!).
"Until it's not Too Late" depicting a priest and a group of souls being sucked into hell as he clutches a crucifix.

This one is called "True Colors" and depicts a peacock looking into a mirror and seeing a vulture:


"Your Move" offers you the next move in a game of chess against the Grim Reaper (no thanks, I'll decline!):


Pretty dark, huh? Well, here are some more optimistic ones:

"Free Bird", which looks like it's about to take flight:


A lovely lily, called "I believe we Can":


This soaring abstract is called "Flying Spirit":


And this other more hopeful abstract is called "Transcend":


Then there was the usual assortment of wildlife, architecture, and whimsy, meant only to please the eye and not to strain the emotions.

Alice at the Mad Hatter's tea party!


"Beluga" but this does not look like a beluga to me:


A butterfly!


A Chinese pleasure boat!


A samurai warrior who has just slain a dragon!


An elephant!


A tropical fish!


A dragon!


Old Man Winter blowing the last leaf away:


A leezard about to chomp a butterfly!


A lovely moth!


An owl!


A lovely seascape!


A triceratops!


Lord Vishnu!


A wasp!


"Who wants a carrot?"
"WE WANT CARROTS!"
"Who's a good dog?"
"WE ARE GOOD DOGS!!"


Coooooooooowch:


Fuzzy things on the cooooooooowch:


Kerfloppulous selfie!


And now... Post morning run still lifes: Schnozzes on the couch in the morning sun.

Starbuckeroo's schnozz!


Cricket's schnozz!