Minnesota Prairie Roots

PERHAPS I AM too easily impressed.

But I have not visited the ice caves at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northern Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

Thus the ice formations gracing the Mississippi River bluffs along Interstate 90 on the Minnesota side near La Crosse, Wisconsin, impress me.

There is no stopping along I-90 to view or photograph this natural ice art up close. Rather, I rely on the rapid fire of my camera to capture the scene for later study.

Every time I see this water frozen in the icebox of winter, I marvel at its beauty.

I remember, too, how once upon a time I snapped icicles from the milkhouse roofline to engage in sword fight battles with my siblings.

The flip side of my mind views the ice formations as powdered sugar icing dripping down the sides of a homemade chocolate birthday cake baked by my mother.

That’s the thing about art—man-made or natural. It’s always open to interpretation.

FYI: These photos were taken 10 days ago. Since then, the weather has warmed to around 60 degrees in southern Minnesota, meaning these formations are likely disappearing.

© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling