You call this cold???

Well, when I woke up this morning it was -11, with a wind chill of -40. A bit on the warm side, but the show must go on. Today marks the start of the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the nation's oldest and coldest winter celebration.

This year I am going to find that damn medallion (every year there is a medallion hidden somewhere in St. Paul, with clues to its location given in the paper over the course of ten days). Of course I say that every year, but my knowledge of St. Paul history and geography is a bit anemic, so by the time I figure out where the medallion is hidden the area is swarming with die-hard hunters, so I just give up.

This year is the first in over a decade that the carnival has featured an Ice Palace. Check out a live look at the palace here.