Snow Tunnel

It's normally not often that we get snow this far south, but it's been an unusually white winter for Alabama. One of my fondest memories of childhood was another winter like this one, with so much snow you could get lost in the drifts along the side of our house.  My dad made us an igloo, much larger than the one pictured above-- big enough for both my brother and me to climb inside. The one I made this morning has already melted, so the snowman guarding the front door won't be in any danger of being overrun with guests, but for future reference, here's what you need to make your own Alabama igloo.

• A large trash can (preferably empty.) The trash can will serve as the "mold" to build your igloo or tunnel around.  The bigger the trash can, the bigger your igloo will be, but the more snow you'll need to cover it.
• Lots and lots of snow. Cover the trash can with snow and pack it down as tightly as you can. Make sure your walls are at least 2-3 inches thick, and thicker towards the bottom to help distribute the weight of the snow.  This will help your igloo keep its shape once you remove the trash can.
• A wheelbarrow is especially helpful if you need to move your snow from one area of the yard to another. Some people might call it cheating, but I'm pretty sure it's just smart.