Lovely pictures, Leon.
I've been asked before about my name, like most of my stories it is long. I grew up from ages 10-23 in Alaska, my Dad was in the Army and that's where we ended up. It was the 70s -- in Alaskan terms I am pre-pipeline, the pipeline era was arguably the end of the wild west, there is no where further we as a country can really go except under water. Because of the pipeline workers and the military bases in the Anchorage area there was about one single female for every 6-7 single guys, you get used to being special. And then I moved down here to the Seattle area where it was more unusual for two 15 year old girls to go on a remote hike in bear territory and things like that, and I was just another girl.
In 2000 I began playing the game Everquest, it's a live role playing game played with other people to kill dragons and such. Turns out I met my husband playing that game in February 2001. My primary character was a Barbarian Shaman named Iceblossom -- as beautiful and sharp as a crystal and a flower of her people. You can say I identify with part of her
I became active on gaming forums and adopted Iceblossom as my on-line persona so have been using it for a couple of decades now. Not all Iceblossoms are me but if it involves popular culture (books, movies, music especially) or quilting, it probably is/was me.
When I go to fan outings (or quilt shows or whatever), or just if I'm meeting up with someone, I have various hair clips that are crystal flowers -- aka ice blossoms as well. That combined with a long ponytail helps to find me out in a crowd.
I'm always surprised when I am asked for a screen name and it is already taken.
PS: Did you see my grandbaby is named Leon? Just born about 2 weeks ago.