Snap of Cold!!

Finally we're getting some REAL Minnesota weather! Funny I used to hate winter here but this year it's been so mild that I'm actually thrilled that there's a bit of snow and sharp, biting chill. The days are beautiful and sunny with vast pale blue skies and white snowy vistas, but every exposed part of your skin stings with sharp needles of cold. You're breath turns white in the air. It freezes onto your scarf. Your nose waters and turns red. Aaaaaahhhhhhh this is what's great about Minnesota!

I guess I can say all this because this year I have a great thick parka, a wooly hat with ear flaps that looks like a Russian, knit mittens lined with fleece and the essential long johns. With all this I walk the 40 minutes to and from my studio and I LOVE the walks. I don't actually feel cold and I find it so invigorating.

The St. Paul Winter Carnival is on too. On sunday Marco and I went to see the ice sculptures and the giant snow slide. It's been so warm they had to import ice from Minneapolis for the sculptures - there wasn't enough ice on St. Paul's lakes! That ludicrous! I swear I've never seen such a warm winter in my whole life.