These are troubling times. Global warming. A contentious Congress. Invasive species. When I need to get away from it all, I turn to the one thing I know I can trust: Friday Props.

This week we made it past the threshold of the New Year and popped out safe on the other side, straight into the harsh reality of an arctic blast. That beautiful snow that blanketed our landscape with soft, fluffy flakes squeeked under our boots and hunkered down to keep warm. Don't get me wrong. This is winter and it gets cold. I know this. After a few days of home isolation, though, I need to plan an escape to figure out what TO DO with all of this. Props this week is dedicated to fun in the snow (ice fishing will NOT appear here).

First, I'm going to take you back in time (time machine!). Way back. WAYWAYWAY back! Back when electricity wasn't as prolific and available. Back when people harvested ICE in the winter. Yup. Folks would take big saws, cut big ol' chunks of ice out of a pond, use huge ice picks to grab it and lift it out of the water to bring home and use in their 'fridge' for the rest of the year. We don't need to do that no more, but every year you can check it out in Brookfield, Vermont at The Floating Bridge during their annual Ice Harvest on Sunset Lake. My dad took me there once....staring into that hole in the ice and these men sawing cubes with huge 6 foot saws to free the ice....how DO you get an 80 pound floating block of ice out of that hole? Its not high tech, but think about it.....go see it...its a very cool little field trip.

I've grown up a good bit since I last attended the Ice Harvest. Not taller, probably, but thicker fer shur. I like to also think I'm more patient and thoughtful than the younger moon-boot wearing me. I also like to think that some day, my home will be finished.I am realistic about my other limitations and this man thoroughly exposed one of my own. As a snowboarder, I see fresh powder on the hills and imagine carving through it. Simon Beck looks at a snowy landscape differently.....he sees an empty canvas. I don't need to put words into his mouth, so I'll drop a few images in here and encourage YOU to go out and tramp through the powder and make it pretty. Here's and a longer article on The Man.

With my last bit of Props-breath, we try to not only blow your mind with the coolness factor of Simon, but absolutely crush it into a puddle of quivering goo with...."Romantic Feelings." Before you look at the feelings, please remember that with many people on hand, big things get made. The Chinese are famous for making big things. The Great Wall of China, for example. I'm not going to bother looking up the statistics for the largest snow sculpture to tell you it took THIS many people and THAT much snow. Nope. Under both categories, I'll write in "A LOT." It is amazing. It is beautiful. Blow it up on your screen, sit back and simply admire it. No questions. A smile and a "wow" will suffice. Tomorrow, go outside. make a snow man. Design something with your snowshoe tracks.