the sculptor's gift

near my house, on a street i often drive down, is a disheveled, nondescript house set a little bit back from the road. it's a house i would never, ever look at twice, if not for the fact that the person who lives there has been giving a gift to the people driving past, for at least the past 20 years. every winter, this person- i don't even know if it's a man or a woman- i've never seen him/her outside- has been creating these amazing sculptures in ice and snow, a new one every week as long as there is snow, right at the edge of the lawn, by the road. the sculptures are impossible to miss and i'm sure that everyone driving past, like me, slows down and gazes at the newest creation before driving past.

these sculptures are not statues; they are much more dynamic than that. the images he creates seem to move; they seem so lifelike that i am amazed they are simple snow and ice. the snow covering my lawn does not seem to have that magic that the snow on his lawn must- how else could he create these things? this week, there are two snowy bear cubs wrestling upon his lawn. one of them is rolling over the other, and it seems to be almost suspended in air- their claws are distinct; their fangs are distinct.

i have no idea if this sculptor is merely practicing his/her art, taking advantage of the snow- if he/she is even aware of how excited i am in the winter to drive by this house and see the latest image.... but it really doesn't matter. whatever his/her motives are for infusing a little excitement onto arlington heights road, i hope it goes on for quite some time. this act of doing what one loves and sharing it so others can love it too... as a writer i hope i can be half as mesmerizing :)