Snow Day ...

Recently, we've been having a few really cold weather weeks - with occasional snowstorms. A snowstorm means having to clear the snow off your car in sub zero weather, with gloved hands that have gone numb, and toes that you remember were once part of your feet! Each time you have to do this - the wind decides to blow in the direction that you happen to be facing!

This morning was similar - it had snowed overnight. However, the pleasant difference was the sunshine that greeted us this snowy morning. It was bright & clear sunny winter day - with absolutely no wind! Anyone who has ever visited Chicago in the winter will appreciate this weather, and understand that it is indeed a rare occurence. (The fact that the temperature was hovering around 18 deg F is a minor technicality - but after a week of below zero degrees Fahrenheit - it felt heavenly.)

Three of us friends - planned to go out for a drive - but as we stepped out of the building - the sunshine was so welcoming, we decided to build a snowman instead.

Off we walked to the lakeside and began building a snowman. We soon realized that this was no easy task - also that scooping out the snow was an exercise in itself. At this point - I remembered the snow shovel I'd tucked away in my car, and we brought it out to scoop snow better. Soon we had a nice lump of snow, but shaping it was a finger numbing task. We quickly decided to scale down the size of the orginally planned snowman - so here it is - one that looks like a snow baby.

Since it was a sunny day - we gave him some snazzy sunglasses. Mardi Gras being just around the corner - we gave him some beads to wear around his neck, and he looked like a snowman en route to New Orleans. A hat for his head, a cinnamon stick for his nose, pepper corns to form his mouth and a warm woollen muffler completed his attire.

After we built the snowman - one of my friends suggested that we move him to a mound of snow so that he (the snowman) could have an elevated view of his surroundings. Wonder of wonders - we managed to transport him to the mound of snow intact. (Am sure watching the three of us transport him must have been a funny sight - but since all of us were helping to pick him up - we don't have any pictures of those!) Here is a picture of him after we moved him to his new location.

Last time we checked - he had reduced a bit in size - but still looked cool with the sunglasses perched on his cinnamon nose! :)