An ice sculpture grows in Popple Dungeon

Peter Delaney’s annual free-form ice sculpture on Popple Dungeon Road Photo by Shawn Cunningham

Each year, Delaney, who lives in the 2000-block of Popple Dungeon, constructs a frame to support a garden hose that gets water – gravity fed – from up the hill. This year, he say, he built the frame about 18-feet high.

At one time, that water supply fed a barn. Delaney says he caps the hose and drills five small holes in the cap to create a fine spray. As the spray freezes, the sculpture grows, and takes on a light turquoise hue.

The spray continues round-the-clock so when the ice begins covering the top of the hose, the flow etches its way through the ice and the ice continues to grow.

Delaney estimates that the ice has reached 20 feet high so far this winter. “I think that for as early as it is, this is the biggest it’s been,” said Delaney.

The height and width of the ice depends on how long we have freezing temperatures without prolonged thaws.