Snow Temples

Snow mounds in New York City are like shag carpeting in a cheap motel - better not look too deep inside, because the contents are not pleasant at all. And no need to, because soon, when melted, all will be revealed.
To some, mounds of snow appear to be a good place to discard all manner of trash and for their dogs to do any business. As if somehow the refuse will take on the properties of snow and melt along with it or perhaps, seeing dirty piles of snow as sanctioned trash receptacles, permitting them to add to it incrementally.
Whatever the case, when snow accumulates in this city (and it does from time to time) and is shoveled and plowed, remaining piles can become temporary embalming sites.
For a time, dirty mountains of snow become temples for garbage. Trash pickups are reduced by the city and street sweeping delayed until snow is gone. Bags of garbage accumulate to adorn the mountains of dirty snow.
Just as autumn leaves require certain conditions for optimal fall foliage color, ideal conditions for large captures within snow temples also exist - amount of snow, length of time on the street, temperatures during various periods with adequate time where the snow is soft enough to swallow and entomb any trash deposited on it. A nice freeze gives the whole thing the aura of secret treasure until the days of melting. I'm reminded of the 50 cent secret prize of childhood that you could order, guaranteed to be of greater value than 50 cents. That prize, unlike the treasures entombed in the gray snow temples of New York City, was worth waiting for :)