Snowman With a Hat and Walking Stick

About this drawing

A bundled-up snowman with a walking stick and a cozy scarf is a winter classic, yet not every snowfall is good for building one. Anyone who has tried knows that sometimes the snow just crumbles in your mittens.

The best snow is wet snow, the kind that falls when the temperature hovers around freezing. It holds a little liquid water that acts like glue between flakes, so it packs together nicely. Very cold, dry powder is beautiful for skiing but nearly impossible to shape.

To start, squeeze a small snowball and roll it along the ground. As it turns, it picks up more snow and keeps growing. The bottom ball should be the biggest so the snowman stays steady, followed by the middle and the head.

Once the sun comes out or the air warms up, the snowman begins to melt. Thin parts like the nose and arms usually drop first. Build in the shade with tightly packed snow, and your frosty friend will stand a few days longer. For extra personality, add an old scarf, a hat and two sticks for arms, just like the snowman in this picture. A few pebbles make perfect buttons and a smile.

• snowman
• winter
• snow
• easy coloring