Now that the ice storm is over, it's Time To Party! I've got wild drinks, contests, and more. You're invited! Come on into my post and party with me!

Here's the first post on the Great Willamette Valley Ice Storm of 2016. I've already shown the effect of the ice on my Sequoia and Larch Trees; Blue Spruce and Western Redcedar Trees; Noble Fir, Grand Fir, and Eastern White Pine Trees; two sets of Douglas-Firs, Ponderosa Pines, Hazel, Walnut, Birch, Holly, and Elm Trees, Garden Plants, Fruit Trees, and House and Home.

Welcome to My Icicle Party!

I made a lot of posts about the crazy, giant ice storm that happened here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. There were a lot of pictures - over 100 different photos of ice! This party is a way of saying thanks to everyone who came into my posts to leave an upvote or a comment. I appreciate your attention and support here on Steemit!

What's happening here at the party? Here's what's going on. The details are in different sections of this post. But everything is in the order here.

MUSIC - Contest 1 - Help me make an Ice Storm Music Playlist
PRIZES - Thank you prizes to specific Steemians
DRINKS - Non-alcoholic - I'll serve it to you!
FOOD - Contest 2 - You bring some food to the party
JOKES - Contest 3 - Tell me some Ice jokes
DRINKS - Wild Black Locust Gin and Tonic -- I'll serve it to you!
CARDS - Contest 4 - Design a greeting card from any of my ice storm photos
POETRY - Contest 5 - Write poetry about icicles or ice storms

When is the party over? Wednesday, March 8, 5 pm Pacific Standard Time (UTC -8). Of course, you can make your own post about any of the entries you have for the Icicle Party! But be sure to put them in the replies down below, too, and let folks know that your post is an Icicle Party Post! :D

Let's Party!!!

1. MUSIC - Contest 1 - We Need an Ice Storm Music Playlist

We've got to have music at a party! At this party, we need music about ice storms and icicles. But I'm not a good DJ. So here's the contest. Go over to my other post, the Icicle Party Music Playlist Contest. Put in a link to some music about ice storms or icicles. I'll check in every day during the party and give $1 SBD to my favorite song, out of all of them that are posted at the time. Only the first posting of any song will count. I'll be giving away at least $5 SBD over there as long as the party is going -- until Wednesday, 5 pm PST.

So you can bring up that post in another tab, and listen to some ice storm and icicle music while you are playing the contests and enjoying my party.

MUSIC - FIRST PRIZE - DAY 1 - goes to @shortcut for the Ice Bear. That's a great bear and such a song of the 80s! Thanks for coming to my party, @shortcut. Check your wallet!

FIRST PRIZE - DAY 2 - goes to @ddschtein for Ice Music. Music played on instruments made of ice! And there aren't even any bubbles in their icicle chimes or xylophones! Thanks for coming to my icicle party, @ddschteinn! Check your wallet!

FIRST PRIZE - LAST DAY - goes to @uwelang for Ice Ice Baby. There weren't any more submissions until the last day of the party. Then @uwelang came through with 4 additions to the playlist. They all were good, but this one fit the mood of the party -- a little more cool than the others. Thanks for coming to my icicle party, @uwelang! Check your wallet!

2. PRIZES - Thank you!

I appreciate everyone who came into my posts, upvoted them, or left comments. I especially appreciate that some people were consistent in stopping by to look at my posts.

@tangmo - was the most consistent ice storm enthusiast, leaving comments in 5 consecutive posts!
@screenname - was my most frequent commenter - meaning my ice storm posts were consistently undervalued, lol!
@countryinspired and @liliana.duarte - also showed up and commented on over half my ice storm posts!
@pfunk - let me know that some of my photos were looking funky and helped me use my photo tools better!

As a thank you, each one of you should check your wallets!

3. DRINKS - Non-alcoholic Icicle Cocktail - Wild Sumac Lemonade

For anyone abstaining, we've got you covered here at the Icicle Party! The great thing about an ice storm is that there are a lot of icicles! First things first -- go get some icicles! I like to get icicles and put them in the freezer to use anytime.

I collected a lot of icicles off the leaves of an old climbing rose. I laid them on a small tray in my big chest freezer. When I want to use the icicles, I knock a few off the tray.

They make any drink more fun -- like this Wild Faux Pink Lemonade. I made it out of Wild Sumac and spearmint that I foraged, and honey from my bees. It's just like lemonade, only every bit of it is from my yard, including the icicles! :D

A party toast -- To your health!

4. FOOD - Contest 2

Every party is better with some food and snacks. I'm making this party a potluck. I've put a comment down below, called "PUT YOUR PARTY FOOD HERE". Put a link to any food post that you have ever made on Steemit, that you think would be perfect for an ice storm. You can put up to three links in this contest. I'll give three prizes of $1 SBD each, to the ones I like best at the end of the party. When is that? Wednesday, 5 pm PST (UTC -8).

5. JOKES - Contest 3

We need some fun and laughter at our party. Tell me a good ice storm or icicle joke. I've put a comment down below, called "PUT YOUR JOKES HERE". Put your jokes as a reply to that comment. I'll give a prize of $2 SBD to the one I like best at the end of the party. When is that? Wednesday, 5 pm PST (UTC -8).

6. DRINKS - Wild Black Locust Gin and Tonic

An ice storm is cold, so it's nice to have a drink that will warm your toes, if you know what I mean. I'm a fan of Gin and Tonic. In the early summer, I use flowers from the Wild Black Locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) to flavor any old gin. I'll write a post about that sometime, but the important thing here is to get some icicles, add some ice-covered spearmint, pour the black locust gin, pour the tonic water, swizzle it, and drink up! It takes like summer! That's warms my heart and my toes! To your health!

Thanks for looking at all my ice storm posts and coming to my Icicle Party! I hope you are having fun!

7. CARDS - Contest 4 - Make an Ice Storm Greeting Card

Maybe you play cards at your parties. I'm not very good at cards, though. Maybe you do crafts when you have a get-together. I'm pretty ham-fisted, so my crafts look like they were done by a second- or third-grader. But I'm sure you all can work wonders with your creativity and skills! I've made a comment down below, called "PUT YOUR GREETING CARDS HERE". Take any image from any of my Ice Storm photo series and make a postcard-style greeting card from it. It can be serious or funny. You can do anything with my image, but I should be able to tell that it did come from my image. I'll give a prize of $3 SBD to the one I like best at the end of the party. When is that? Wednesday, 5 pm PST (UTC -8).

8. POETRY - Contest 5 - Write a Poem about Icicles or Ice Storms

Now the party has been going for awhile, and everyone should be loose by now! I've made a comment down below, called "PUT YOUR POEMS HERE". Write a poem about icicles or ice storms. I'll accept three kinds of poems: a rhyming poem of 8 lines or more, a haiku, or a limerick. I'll give three prizes of $2 SBD each, to the poem I like best in each category, at the end of the party. When is that? Wednesday, 5 pm PST (UTC -8).

The End of the Party

All good things must come to an end. I hope you enjoyed my party! I appreciate each one of you who look at, upvote, or comment on my Steemit posts! I have enjoyed getting to know some of you through your comments on my posts. As you head off to other posts, be safe out there - and don't slip on the ice! :)

Haphazard Homestead

* foraging, gardening, nature, simple living close to the land *

All content is 100% Haphazard Homestead - photos and all!

I participate in Operation Translation. All my posts are available for translation under the rules listed on the linked post from @papa-pepper. Logo provided by @oepc85. Post goes 100% to Steem Power! Logo provided by @merej99

The Great Willamette Valley Ice Storm of '16 - 12 - Icicle Party! - Wild Drinks, Contests and Prizes!