Yesterday when I awoke the taller karsts had something whitish on them. Only at their tops. And not very thick. Betts and Laurie have never seen anything like it here. When they arrived in January 2003, everyone said there had been snow the week before. But that was five years ago and they have seen nothing like snow in their years here. We decided the lacy look covering the karsts yesterday was frost or ice. The thermometer outside my door registered 2C/36F all day.

Firecrackers woke me this morning. That is not unusual and is becoming more and more common as we near Spring Festival. (All that will be a topic for a future posting.) I looked out the door to see if one of the neighbors had set off this morning’s firecrackers... and saw ice drips on the gate! And the same lacy crown on the karsts. The thermometer reads 0C/32F this morning. The walk and street are only wet, no ice there.

So today people in the Yangshuo area will have another day of sitting by fires fueled by wood or charcoal. Or like Vivi, the receptionist at Owen College, they will hold hand warmers, charged by electricity for five to ten minutes, and, if they are lucky like she, sit near an electric space heater. They may even close the doors and windows as she surprisingly had done when I took this picture.

I think my room will be the best place for me today. I cleaned the filters in the air con/heater last week and it is churning out plenty of warmth these days. Surprised by the big stuffed dog on my bed? Who knew a big stuffed dog would make such a good pillow? When the sixth grader gave me this monstrous softie for Christmas, I puzzled over what I would do with it. But it has made a great back rest as I read or study Chinese while the wall unit hums out its heat.

Wonder what weather I might wake to tomorrow. People tell me Spring Festival is to the Chinese as Christmas is to the foreigners. But, I’ve never heard them say they dream of a white Spring Festival.