More Snow Love - Slice 7 of 31

The March Slice of Life Challenge-hosted by Ruth and Stacey,
Two Writing Teachers,
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        This is a how-to post for all those who still celebrate winter, or even who are still surviving it.   I read so many posts yesterday about snow, snow days, along with wanting the sunshine back that I had to share this old memory of a very cold stretch of days we had in Denver years ago.  I have this habit of saving interesting magazine articles, some heartwarming stories, a few recipes, and those with good ideas.  Just in case I need them someday, they lie in a large folder waiting.  Once in a while I clean it out, knowing that some will only be useful for someone else.  But some I keep, for a long time.  

           This year, the weather people predicted cold, and days of it!  It happened; the temperature stayed below zero for over a week.  And I remembered the article that I had saved about how to make Ice Lanterns.

                                                                   The Recipe

       Needed for each one:  

one five gallon bucket

one liter plastic soda bottle

sharp craft knife and scissors

a weight that will fit inside the bottle-to hold it down (I think I used a        

         rock)

                                         

       Directions:

·      fill the bucket with about 4 inches of water and put outside 

·      on a level surface outdoors, let freeze

·      cut off the top of the bottle about an inch above the label

·      set the soda bottle in the center of the bucket on the  

·      frozen bottom layer of ice

·      put the weight in the bottle

·      add about two inches of water, careful not to get any in the bottle

·      when this 2nd layer is frozen hard, add water to come 

·      within an inch of the top of the bottle

·      allow all to freeze hard-you'll know it's done when you tilt the bucket &  don't hear any slosh

·      remove the weight-peel the flexible bottle away from the ice-remove

·      run warm or hot water (not too much) over the bucket to free the ice         

     lantern

·      place a wide candle in the lantern or use some snow to support a taper 

           

Here is my photo of that time.  Icy glowing lanterns.  It sometimes pays well to save things.