Looking out my window, I see a row of sparkling icicles framing the view of my backyard. In an instant, I spot more icicles hanging from a peanut feeder. Mother Nature has added her decorative touch, and the birds that have migrated are missing this wintry accent.

How well I remember icicles from my childhood. The icy tapers seemed to appear almost magically. We would watch and wait until they grew long enough to tease us into action. I loved to smack down a dripping icicle and use it for a duel. Each whack left the sword shattered and shorter. The clear, crystalline spears were also tempting lollipops. More often than not, the taste was less than appealing.

Later when I became a homeowner, I realized icicles could be dangerous, causing ice dams and possible water damage on ceilings. They had potential to pull away gutters or weigh down electrical and telephone lines. I came to look upon icicles with reservation.

So how do these wintry phenomena form? Interestingly enough, mathematical physics explains how icicles grow. Physicist Martin Short elaborates, "Icicles have a certain mathematical shape, and this mathematical shape is universal among icicles. I've drawn the profile of an icicle. The height is proportional to the radius to the four-thirds."

We all know as the water drips from the melting snow, it refreezes if the air is 32 degrees or colder. As water drips onto an icicle and freezes there's a heat release. The physics of heating and cooling allows the top to grow slowly and the tip to grow rapidly. We observe that icicle formations are often more massive at the top.

Researchers at the University of Arizona report, "The same mathematical formula used to describe the shape of stalactites in caves also describes the shape of icicles although the physical process to create each form is very different." We can be amazed that physics and mathematics explain the simple formations of melting, dripping ice and snow. Weather fascinations of childhood have an adult explanation.

Even as science can demystify winter's wonders, we can still appreciate the simple artistry that greets our eyes. Here's hoping you, too, find a bit of beauty in the icicles you see this season.