I love winters in Minnesota. No one here is afraid of the cold or the snow, venturing outside and holding events regardless of the weather. This year I attended the annual Art Shanty installation art project on Medicine Lake for the first time. Despite our incredibly mild winter this year, the ice was still strong enough to host shanties built by twenty different teams. It was wonderful to explore each shanty, discovering the wide range of unique themes. The shanties only truly develop as visitors are asked to participate and interact with the hosts of each shanty. I hope to spend more time visiting next year to be able to fully participate and document the event.