It was freezing a while ago and we had heavy snowfall. The snow accumulation was actually higher than the seat cushions. So, Sam and I decided to build a snowman!
Here is the “History of the Melting Snowman”:
The big snowman looks really rock-and-roll, while the little ones look just like the "Dango 3 Kyōdai."
Voldemort snowman
Oh no, it broke off.Actually, we only rolled one snowball. We made the snowman’s body by clearing away the accumulated snow (which shows just how deep it was) and patting it down firmly. We spent most of our time working on the head, rolling it properly before placing it on top.
When we first started making the snowball, it was really hard to get it to hold its shape. The snow was too soft and powdery, with no stickiness at all. Later, we sprayed some water on it, patting the snow on as we sprayed, then rolled it on the ground while spraying it with more water. That finally did the trick.
Once we succeeded, we went and found two branches to stick in as arms. Then, I felt like the face was missing something. We happened to have bought carrots that week, so I picked one out of the fridge and poked it in. How cute!
After finishing the big snowman, I was so enthusiastic that I piled up three more snowballs the next day to make a little snowman. With the little one joining in, the big snowman didn’t look so lonely anymore.
These two snowmen stood side-by-side on my balcony for several weeks. Eventually, the weather started to warm up, and the two of them slowly said their goodbyes to us.
Originally, I thought I’d just leave the carrot on the balcony. I figured maybe a squirrel or a bird might stop by (animals in snowy countries aren’t afraid of the cold) and have it as a snack. But after waiting a long time, no one seemed interested in visiting that carrot. One day, I decided I couldn’t just leave it there, so I opened the door to pick it up and toss it into the garbage disposal.
The moment I picked it up, I realized why no animal wanted to eat it.
This carrot, having gone through endless cycles of freezing and thawing, was no longer the carrot I remembered. It had turned into a limp, mushy thing with all its cells collapsed and dead. The texture was truly horrifying. I can still feel it vividly today.
Next year, or whenever we build a snowman again, I don’t think I’ll want to use a carrot. Sticking in some branches is good enough.
See you next year, Mr. Snowman!
NB: This article was first published in Chinese. It was later translated with assistance from Typeless, edited by me, and published in English.