ABC Wednesday-"B": Blocks of Ice

It is Winter Carnival Time again, which is a big deal and an annual fun fest in the city of St Paul. Workers are constructing the Royal Courtyard in downtown Rice Park from more than 1,000 blocks of ice, weighing from 500 to 700 lbs—actually a small structure when compared to former Winter Carnival Ice Palaces.  Read about the construction here.

Linking to ABC Wednesday

History In 1885, a New York Times Reporter wrote that Saint Paul was the "Siberia of America" and questioned whether it was fit for human habitation. Offended by this attack on their Capital City, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided not only to prove that Saint Paul was habitable, but that its citizens were very much alive during winter, the most dominant season. Thus was born the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. In 1886, King Boreas I was crowned at the first Winter Carnival. This festival also featured an ice castle -- an elaborate creation made from ice from Minnesota lakes . The Saint Paul Winter Carnival, also known as "The Coolest Celebration on Earth," is the nation's oldest and largest winter festival. With many events -- including the breathtaking ice sculptures and parades  -- the Carnival has become a trademark of history, community spirit and togetherness, turning Saint Paul into a winter wonderland in late January. City Daily Photo bloggers post photographs on a theme on the first day of each month.  On  February 1, they will address this intriguing question:  If you had to leave forever the city  from which you usually post, what would you miss most?