Snowflakes bring out the child in us. The uniqueness and beauty of their patterns fuel our imaginations. I still to this day call my mother when I see the first snowflakes of the season. They awaken my sense of delight for all that the winter season holds.

Cutting out snowflakes is one activity I do each year. After the holidays, I love to fill my four seven-foot picture windows with paper snowflakes. I never tire of watching the bleak winter landscape through my mask of hand-crafted cutouts.

Through the years other snow activities have begun when the fluffy white stuff arrives. We've kept a chart of winter snow depths, guessed how many snows will happen, often wished for snow days from school (now from work), made hundreds of snow angels, and enjoyed many an afternoon of sledding. When my son was young, I would always make snowballs, quick-freeze them on a cookie tray, and pack them in a plastic bag. They would be saved for a hot July day so the kids have a snowball fight in the backyard when the temperatures were in the 90s.

Although we do not have a magnificent Winter Carnival like that in St. Paul, MN, I have not been denied my share of snow sculptures. There have been snow candles, snow men and snow forts, but surely the most memorable sculpture was the 20-foot-long, pink pig sprawled out eating fruit and nuts. Yes! I sculpted this huge pig, sprayed it pink with colored water, unwound a paper towel tube for the corkscrew tail, and scattered my old holiday nuts and apples in front of its mouth for the finishing touch. This was in my front yard - not hidden behind the house. It took the squirrels over a week before they would venture up to the pink giant to eat the discards I had provided.

How I hope you also have fun snow adventures and memories. Check out www.popularfront.com/snowdays to make and share online snowflakes. We do need to be creative to make the best of the long winter months.