Lazy Weekends and Wintery Weather

This past weekend was dubbed a pajama weekend. The weather on Friday night was supposed to be icy so Jeff and I ran out for dinner and then went home. I got home, put on my warmest pajamas and pretty much stayed home for the entire weekend. It was bliss. I haven't done a pajama weekend in at least a year and it was so amazing to not have to be anywhere. We lounged around reading and playing WoW and eating ourselves sick. I caught up on all my laundry and cleaned the house. Time felt endless. It was an amazing weekend.

This morning the alarm announced a harsh return to reality. Not only did I have to get up at 6 but I was going to have to deal with four or so inches of snow and a blizzard. Always good. I've reached that "I'm tired" point. I'm pretty much done with winter now. At least this year I can drive in it but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Although there is one bonus to this time of year. On January 5th the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival began and I always love to see the pictures that come out of it. The festival began in 1985 and has some of the most beautiful buildings and sculptures made entirely of snow or ice. The most amazing for me has to be the ice lantern buildings.

Ice lanterns are an old tradition started back in the 1600s. They were created by placing a bucket of water out to freeze. After it had frozen it would be brought in to be gently warmed. A hole was cut in the top of the ice and the ice was hollowed out. A candle was then placed in the hollowed out ice to make a lantern. While the blocks used for these structures are not created with such simple methods, I find the sheer size and complexity of these buildings magnificent.

Harbin is in Northeast China and is frozen for a good period of the year. Temperatures during the festival (which runs all month) can reach as low as -40 at night. Still it might be worth it for me to make a trek out to see these glorious structures. There is a snow sculpture contest as well which draws over 600 participants. All and all, it makes a nasty time of year a little more magical.