the beauty of frigid temperatures

I've missed ice skating. Ever since I moved away from Indiana (2001), the timing of my return at Christmas has been too early to reap the benefits of lake frontage in Indiana winters. So year after year, I would gear up for my flight home to Fulton County at Christmas time, hoping this year would be the year the ice would be thick enough for a long overdue ice skating adventure. And time and time again I was disappointed. Only to get a phone call a week or two after returning to everyday life in North Carolina, Montana, Washington (wherever it was I was living) to describe the depth of the ice that had now formed on the lake.

To the best of my ability to recall past events, I haven't laced up a pair of ice skates since I was 20 years old. Now crunching the numbers, and doing the arithmetic, that calculates out to be about 11 years of winters absent of the beloved activity of ice skating.

This realization lead me to endeavor the great task of shoveling about ten inch deep snow off of a small section of frozen Lake Manitou. Thankfully Dad made his way out to the rink to aid me in my obsession. And together we carved out of snow a perfect little rink. Admittedly, a small rink for ice skating, but just enough ice to enjoy on skates.