I want to share a little treat we discovered while in Nashville, TN.
In the parking lot of Opry Mills mall remains the old Gas Light theatre from the days of Opryland Theme park. 
The theatre is home to a wonderful ice show until Jan. 5, 2009. They showcased the Grinch in Whoville. The Saint and I checked out this show while in Tennessee during Thanksgiving. We found it amazing how the ice was shaped, formed and colored to resemble the characters. 
It is very cold in the theatre so we were glad we dressed accordingly. They provide blue parka's to put on over your own coat and I took one while the Saint opted out. They had a ice slide that we just had to give a try. I wore the slick parka and zoomed down the slide while the Saint got stuck midway down with his Macho, "I don't need a stinking parka" jacket on. He had then wished for the parka. 
Here is an angel keeping watch from above. 
While the manger scene is played out in ice as well.
To get a scope of how large this chunk of ice is, look at the arm of the person standing to the lower right of this picture! 
There is 1.5 million pounds of ice and the temp stays about a chilling 9 degrees. My hands got cold even with gloves on but I am glad we checked out the ICE HOUSE, even though, not In the Garden... Stay Warm this winter!
That's wild !
ReplyDeleteGotta get out there and do different things...so what not post some fun stuff. Very cool :D
Happy New Year,
Patsi
Those are SO pretty! I love the colored characters. I wonder how they get them so true with the color and that turkey sure looks real. Just beautiful! Everyone have a super great day-lightening and thundering here so I have to shut down. ciao
ReplyDeleteGOOD MORNING EVERYONE,
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, that was awesome. The characters so true to form. Such amazing colors. That would be something to see.
You are so funny with Saint wishing he had a parka---getting stuck. lol
Here's hoping everyone has a great day, good gardening.
Do you mean that Opryland is gone? I always wanted to go there :(
ReplyDeleteI am amazed by your Ice Show photos! The creativity and artistry of some folks is astounding, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and The Saint had a good time (guys never wear coats when they should).
Cameron
Wow, this is amazing, Skeeter! The last few pieces are impressive just by the sheer size, but I'm impressed by the coloring of the ice to make the Grinch and other characters. I've never seen anything like it.
ReplyDeleteOur family visited Opryland a few times, the last time in the early 90's. I never understood why they tore it down.
That is a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI also went to this this year! It was so much fun. Your pictures are beautiful. I think the ICE! is so much fun. Been twice. I can't wait to find out the theme for next year, as this was the Grinch's last:(
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Skeeter! At first I thought the grinch was wax, I'm so used to seeing that before ice people, although the whole thing could easily be up here without the expense of a building or coolant!
ReplyDeleteGood morning everyone in blog-land!
ReplyDeletePatsi, we do like to try different things to keep us young. tee hee. Our New Year is starting out pretty damp here in GA.
Tina, The Ice exhibit was cool, ha I made a pun! We were amazed as to how real everything looked and the colors so vibrant. I kept joking that it was all made from plastic with the air down low to fool us all. The ultimate scam. hee hee. Raining here again today but just that nasty drizzle stuff. I must get out into it twice a day to feed the animals next door as I am pet sitting. I hope I dont melt...
Lola, It was a neat thing to see but a bit pricey but what isnt today? :-) We are getting more nasty drizzle rain so no fun outside as planned for us during this entire 4-day weekend for the Saint. We had such fun plans for the veggie garden, a planter and some downed limbs. Oh well, there is always next weekend I reckon...
My Little Family, They tore Opryland down years ago! Was a sad day for me as I had been going there since a child and never took the Saint before it came down. He would have loved it as all that visited there did. Money was the main factor as a Mill's Mall probably makes more then the park ever did. It is all about money these days ya know. arggg. We do like the Bass Pro Shop though...
Cameron, I am convinced that the Saint would never shower or brush his teeth on the weekends if not for me! Tee hee, such a typical little boy at times so the missing coat was just the Saint being the Saint. It was an awesome ice show and we were amazed at the artistry as well...
Rose, I miss Opryland also but money seems to be the factor in the decision to rip it all out and build a Mall. Who cares if children of all ages enjoyed the park, the mall will make more money right? argggggg... The Ice show was a nice little reminder of the once thriving and entertaining Opryland Theme Park. The ice house brought back so many fun memories for me...
MNGarden, It was a lot of fun but a bit chilly on the fingers and behind while going down the ice slide...:-)
Liz, it was awesome and we hope to get to see next years show as well. I was glad we were able to see the Grinch as we missed it last year. A great stop on the way back to GA for us so we will try to make this a yearly event if the show changes each year...
Dawn, I was wondering while in the ice house if it were that cold up your way They did look like wax and I joked that they were plastic with the air turned down low to fool us all. Am glad to have posted this ice topic today as it is not feeling like winter here. Drizzle rain and humid with temps more like spring then winter. Am afraid it will mess with spring bloomers soon if temp does not go down a bit…
Sounds like a magnificence day Skeeter. I am always in awe of ice sculptures. The next town to us has a contest every winter at Bowdin College. They are really big. So bit that chainsaws are used in making them. They are outside and last quite a while. most years.
ReplyDeleteWOW! That is absolutely spectacular. I can only imagine how long it took to carve everything. It would be hard for me to let it melt!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing. I love the way they colour the ice. The slide sounds like fun as well.
ReplyDeleteWow! They are all so beautiful! It really must have been interesting to see all of those ice sculptures.
ReplyDeleteVery cool and unusual.
Karrita
I never knew about this. You've captured it so beautifully. Thanks for giving this Californian a glimpse of something new!
ReplyDeleteI suppose there are some things that can be made to shine in winter besides rosy red cheeks.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting place to visit.
I am always amazed at ice sculpture. So much detail and this display is even colored. I can't imagine going to all that work on something like ice that has such a short life span. If I created such masterpieces, I would want them in a permanent medium.
ReplyDeleteJean, Ice sculptures are really neat as is chain saw art on tree stumps! I think I will stick to viewing the ice inside in the AC rather then the out doors air conditioning. lol. Warm here the past few days and feels more like spring then winter...
ReplyDeleteKathleen, I would love to see them carving and creating this sculptures! We watched a man carving tree stumps with a chain saw at our county Fair and it was so interesting how he turned a piece of round wood into a beautiful piece of art...
Patientgardener, The color was so vibrant that it looked like wax! The slide was fun but I am a bit old for sliding down ice frozen slides on my rump. tee hee...
Karrita, It was fun and interesting seeing the way they had carved the ice. The lights added a bit of glow as well. A fun little tour through the ice house for us...
Christine, Glad you enjoyed this bit of winter fun from the south! It was a lot of fun checking out all the neat things such as this to keep us young in heart and spirit, too bad the body will not keep up the pace... :-)
TC, Now TC, you know my bottom cheeks were rosy red after going down that frozen slide even with a funny looking blue parka over it.. tee hee... Ice, made by water, made by Mother Nature. Ah, the pure beauty....
They don't change it EVERY year, but next year will be a new theme. The last time I went, before this year, it was a toy soldier theme. It is all so cool.
ReplyDeleteRose's & Lilacs, I think this is a traveling show and may be preserved. I am not sure about that. Does anyone know if that is true or if they remake it each year? It is amazing what an artist can do with a chunk of ice...
ReplyDeleteHI Skeeter --this was breathtaking --we took the kiddos down to see it this past Monday. They loved the slide --Girl Model flew down it so fast in her parka that all I captured was the top of her head, hahaha. The colors were very vibrant and so true --we touched so much ice that day and shivered too, hahaha. But, it was so worth it. I wonder what theme they will do next year? This was AWESOME! One more day of Christmas break for the kiddos --now I'm off to help the Girl Model make some Easy Bake cookies --ah --fun, fun, fun!!! I really prefer the regular oven but she has this toy one that really impresses her, hahaha --what a kiddo. The boys are all playing some war/battle type game --Red Alert 3 --I worry but daddy said they'll be fine. Soon they will be back in school and hitting the books so might as well enjoy the free time while they can. See you all later! The tree will come down tomorrow --had to keep it up for today the Epiphany --I'm really pleased with this years --it really held up much better than the previous ones we had. Yes, it's real and smells so good:) The house will look so empty and sad when we take it down --I dread that part --but will try to think of spring and pretty flowers to chase those blues away, hahaha.
ReplyDeleteLiz, How long have they been doing this ice show? Last year was the first I had heard of it as one of my nieces was going there with her boyfriend. We did not have time to check it out on that visit but made sure to fit it in the schedule this year...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I had wondered if you had taken the kiddos to see the ice show. Now I know they saw it! I knew they would love the slide. Did you and hubby give it a go? The Saint and I did and it was funny but reminded me I am no longer a teenager. lol...
ReplyDeleteI envy Girl Model getting an Easy Bake Oven! I wanted one but Santa did not read that line on the list. I did get some of the pans and mixes though. Just had to use the big grown up oven and it was not as much fun to me. But the chocolate cake was yummy, even though not enough to share with my 3 brothers... tee hee…
I know what you mean about the house looking so empty once the trees are all gone. I took the living room tree down a few days ago so the Saint could play around with the furniture and his new TV. He is driving me nuts with that TV and us getting a new stand. Cant find one we like or if we like it, price is too high. It is just wood ya know and not gold you furniture stores, so why so pricey? lol... The rest of the trees will come down tomorrow. I always leave them up until the 5 as well. I may put a Christmas CD in the stereo and get one last blast of fun as I pack every thing away for next year. I am still thinking about making some new garlands since I found some new materials.. tee hee...
Yep, back to school or work tomorrow. The Saints car pooling partner just called to let him know he is back from Milwaukee and will be picking him up at 6:30 in the morning! The house sure will be quiet with him gone. I have enjoyed having him around more the past couple of weeks. If only we had been able to get into the yard for our planned projects… Oh well, there are plenty of more weekends coming up…
My grandson would love this!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Hi, Skeeter--Hope you and the Saint are thawed out now, and I wish you had shown a photo of him stuck on the slide! But the photos you DID pick were great, and I hope none of you suffered from frostbite . . .
ReplyDeleteHi Skeeter, Liz, the Jimster, and some of our friends went to see the ice show in 2006. It was with toy soldiers for sure. They were great. My dear friend from out of state (whom I have lost contact with) had SO much fun on the slide and the whole thing that all the pictures I have are of her smiling from ear to ear. We have been friends for nearly 20 years in the Army and to the first Gulf War together, sad to lose contact. The visit was wonderful and all the more so with friends and family. They have had the ice show each year since we've lived year. I didn't make it this year as I was out of town when Liz went. Though she did invite me. One year we went to see the Rockettes which are close by the Gaslight Theatre. That was pretty fun, but the seats were benches, not too comfy at all:( for the amount of money that costed. Anyhow, Opryland is a sight!! Thanks for showing the pictures of it this year. Been busy working on my new project-what a job!
ReplyDeleteTOO Cool...I've never seen ice like the colored stuff! And funny about the slide.....LOL. I popped over from Cackleberry Cottage...I enjoyed your blog and will be back. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteBrenda, Yes indeed your grandson would enjoy this. We are 45 years young and we enjoyed it as did the bus load of Senior Citizens we saw! Fun for all ages...
ReplyDeleteCosmo, In this 70-degree weather, you bet we are thawed out! You must use your imagination for the slide photo as I did not snap any while in that room. Like Elvis sings, "Regrets, I have a few..." lol...
Tina, You have my interest with your new project! Hum, wonder how long before it shows on the blog??? :-) Glad you all saw the ice show. It was great and will start a new tradition when I am in town. My mom took my niece to see the Rockettes. I would love to go see them and should have while in New York just after Thanksgiving one year but did not as there was so much to see and do and so little time. I saw the Grand Ole Opry on those benches and yes, they are a bit uncomfortable on the hiney…
Susan, the bright colors of the ice were spectacular to see! Thanks for popping in and Happy New Year to you as well. Hope to see you again soon...
The Fox Hunt tree is all packed away now. Sad to see it go as I enjoyed the tree in the sun room being my favorite room of the house.... sniff sniff....
That is so amazing! I can't imagine the work involved in that!
ReplyDeleteHi Skeeter, that is such a creative use of ice, but nine degrees, yikes! I would have asked for a couple of parkas! Thanks for showing us. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Robin, It does look like lots of work. I would enjoy seeing the work in progress. That would be neat to watch it all develop before your eyes...
ReplyDeleteFrances, Burrrrr it was cold but I had my big wool coat on so prepared for it. The ugly Blue Parkas go on over your coat so I was thick as a stuffed turkey walking in there. The Saint did have his biggest of coats also but not the ugly blue parka on top. He would not admit it but he was chilly. My fingers were the only thing that got cold and I had on gloves too! Well, my butt got cold going down the ice slide. I wish I had taken a pic of that but did not think of the camera at that time. sigh...
hey we went there too i just posted about it today. we went on friday the 2nd. what day where you there>? it is so cold in there but we were prepared with our own coats gloves hats scarfs etc...
ReplyDeleteMarmee, we were there the Sunday after Thanksgiving while headed back to GA. It was fun and I will have to check out your post today!
ReplyDeleteI see so many amazing things on blogs. This looks like something I would really enjoy.
ReplyDeleteDot, It was so much fun for us and I am sure you would enjoy it as well....
ReplyDelete