Leaving Winter in Minnesota

I'm sure that some people wonder why we abandon Minnesota every winter for 3 months and travel to Egypt. Part of it, of course, is that we have friends in Egypt and make more friends each time we visit. But, for another reason, take a look at this picture of mom-in-law's patio:


Here is a nearby house experiencing some icicles.


The problem with snow and ice in Minnesota is that the snow that falls in November doesn't melt a few days later. It just stays on the bottom of the pile as more snow comes down. We adapt our lives to the snow. For example, we learn to live with smaller parking lots as the snow is plowed to the center.


And we tend to own trucks and SUV's so that the driver can see over the snowbank when merging onto a freeway.


And of course, we can always plow a little snow, put down some water and have an ice skating rink where you thought we only had a park.


But, through it all, we adapt. We adopt the nearby fire hydrant, digging it out of the snow.


And, we learn to walk carefully down the sidewalks that are not quite ice-free, even after they are plowed.