A rod of multicolored caked vegetable dye that clamps onto the outer edge of gutters so that when roof runoff passes over it colored icicles are created along the eave.
Optionally, dripline watering could be used above (or forced through) the dye rod to cultivate icicles in cold, but dry, weather.
The vegetable dye could be mildly saline or the assembly heated slightly to prevent freeze-over.
(illustration link below)(half: I prudently waited until you were out of town to post this) (libation)-- bristolz, Jul 05 2003 rough sketch http://bz.pair.com/fun/enchantedEave.html[26 Kb] That's supposed to be a roof edge and gutter. Squint a bit and, hopefully, it'll make sense. [bristolz, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Closest I could find. Very pretty. http://www.tomifobi...ious/pix/icicle.jpg [k_sra, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Colorful Christmas Eave.-- FarmerJohn, Jul 05 2003 Alternatively, you could hang FlavorIce popsicles.
"MOM! Robby's licking the gutters again!"
Or sculpture melt them, very slowly. I see a multi-colored dna model.-- RayfordSteele, Jul 05 2003 lovely idea bris but the illustration makes me think of freddy krueger-- po, Jul 06 2003 I read this as 'An Enchanted Dave'. I prefer my title. + anyway, even though you have totally ignored the lucrative 'Dave' market.-- sambwiches, Jul 06 2003 My husband's name is David, so I haven't *totally* ignored the Dave market.-- bristolz, Jul 06 2003 one of my favourite names, bris. :)-- po, Jul 06 2003 As long as these buggars dont drip on me when I am curled up sleeping Kat dreams, Miss Bris they are fine by me.-- The Kat, Jul 06 2003 Also suitable for the modern cave dweller...-- phoenix, Jul 06 2003 The dye can be packaged in plastic capsules that pop open at the perfect icicle temperature. Timing is critical -- you'll need melting snow and freezing eaves.-- Amos Kito, Jul 06 2003 While the half's away, The Ice will play.
I see. When I leave you alone for a few days, you post the good stuff? Oh, fine. I can take a hint. I don't need a ton of chromacicles to fall on me.-- half, Jul 07 2003 paranoia raises its ugly head...-- po, Jul 07 2003 Maybe a resin-based version for Brisbane, [UB]? That'd surprise your neighbors. Of course, I'm not so sure your neighbors are much surprised by anything.
[half]: that's right. When are you next leaving?-- bristolz, Jul 07 2003 Might want to put some in reach of the kids. The temptation would be killer.-- sartep, Jul 07 2003 I love the idea. The only problem is that icicles are bad things that usually indicate a problem with the gutters. (Had to replace several gutters a couple of winters ago do to excessive ice build-up ripping them down, so I have a negative POV of them, I guess.)
Perhaps these could be fitted to a reinforced gutter system especially designed to allow the growth of non-damaging icicles. All you'd need is one strip of the gutter installed along a safe wall of the house, above an area with no traffic below. (I suppose that's a separate idea altogether, though.)-- waugsqueke, Jul 07 2003 These would be stunning up-lit at night. Your own personal Northern Lights. + (see link for pic)-- k_sra, Jul 07 2003 Yeah, icicles are usually an indicator of bad roof insulation, poor runoff control and drainage problems. At least this would make the best out of a bad thing.
If you supplied water to the system, made it an icicle cultivator, you could, like [waugs] says, make it safer and less damaging. It's also conceivable that dynamic colored icicle sculptures, built on their own special framework, could be seeded and grown in the yard, or in parks and courtyards, as well.
In the end, though, I went for the lowest hanging--and simplest to explain--fruit.-- bristolz, Jul 07 2003 lollipops, make mine raspberry.-- po, Jul 07 2003 Living in México makes me feel left out from these cool ideas. Too damn hot down here; it never snows, i don't know what a gutter problem is, ice never builds up anywhere outside the freezer... too damn boring.-- Pericles, Jul 07 2003 "Cool and colorful" fun idea. Practical, low-cost. The idea's a winner!-- thecat, Jul 07 2003 Shouldn't this be "one enchanted eave" - and yes, I read it as Dave the first few times!
Nice. Any chance of a summer version?-- PeterSilly, Jul 08 2003 I think the song is "Some Enchanted Evening."
What would the summer version do?-- bristolz, Jul 08 2003 [bris] - coloured icicles would be somewhat surreal, although pretty. Icicles in summer would increase the surrealism.-- PeterSilly, Jul 08 2003 might that i could be swept off my feet by a gaggle of gay eskimos while blinking hopeful behind a window 'neath my rainbowey ice-clad eves. you have delivered me from my once-lonely future!!!-- fififoofoo, Aug 01 2003 Make the whole thing work in Texas and I'm in.-- sub_text, Aug 01 2003 I like the idea, but I see one problem with the current design - isn't the roof runoff supposed to run INTO the gutter, and not over it?-- ton80, Aug 01 2003 I'm with you sub_text. Except i'd like to see some real snow. Had enough of ice. Maybe you make colored tablets that melt on the gound and then freeze with the rain. +for the idea.-- crispee, Aug 01 2003 [ton80], what happens, usually, is that a sheet of snow, warmed by the roof, slides down the roof slope and across the expanse of the gutter, allowing the runoff water to reach and trickle over the gutter edge, refreezing in the colder air below the gutter to form icicles.
<how's that for a run-on, comma infested sentence?>-- bristolz, Aug 01 2003 [bristolz] Thanks for the clarification. I live in central Texas, so we don't have a lot of problem with snow - much less snow sliding off the roof into our gutters! I would say that our most serious snow problem is actually being able to see any of the snowflakes before they melt - often before touching the ground!
BTW - that's one of the nicest run-on, comma-infested sentences I've seen in quite a while.-- ton80, Aug 07 2003 Cool, another word to pair with "psychedelic", as in "psychedelic icicles". (I lost the 3rd grade spelling bee on the word "icicle". Like an idiot I started to spell "bicycle" without the "b" even though I knew better. Hey, the pressure got to me. Just look at me now, though, I can spell "psychedelic icicle"!)-- Size_Mick, Feb 28 2004 Pretty idea from a pretty personality. [+]-- doctorremulac3, Sep 10 2022 random, halfbakery