Read on Twitter
Every single piece of open water in my neighborhood is full of skaters. Grandpas with old-school skates that strap over their shoes, whistling down the small canal behind my house. They can go all the way to the next town over, if they want. (1/?)
Moms and Dads with little ones, carefully guiding their tiny feet forward, hovering nearby as the kids grow more confident. Some parents are pulling their less-daring offspring across the ice on wooden sleds. Some kids are skating (2/?)
on their own, pushing wooden or plastic chairs in front of themselves to maintain balance as they figure the system out.
Pairs of adults, hands behind their backs, some wearing backpacks (full of snacks and a thermos of hot chocolate, I can only fervently hope) skate (3/?)
Pairs of adults, hands behind their backs, some wearing backpacks (full of snacks and a thermos of hot chocolate, I can only fervently hope) skate (3/?)
effortlessly down the longer waterways, chatting as they go, their breath steaming past them as they speed by.
Teenagers in pairs, larger groups, boisterous and joking, at all levels of skill, weave in and out of the little ones and laugh (4/?)
Teenagers in pairs, larger groups, boisterous and joking, at all levels of skill, weave in and out of the little ones and laugh (4/?)
uproariously as one of them takes a dive and ends up splayed out on the ice.
Even the non-skaters are enjoying the spectacle; each passerby slows their pace and stops to watch the skating joy, grinning from ear to ear, applauding the first shaky (5/?)
Even the non-skaters are enjoying the spectacle; each passerby slows their pace and stops to watch the skating joy, grinning from ear to ear, applauding the first shaky (5/?)
steps of the tiniest skaters.
Everyone’s face is red with cold, excitement, exhilaration. The laughter and shrieks of joy ring out - I just need to step out my front door to hear them.
I’ve been told that the skate was invented in NL; I don’t know
Everyone’s face is red with cold, excitement, exhilaration. The laughter and shrieks of joy ring out - I just need to step out my front door to hear them.
I’ve been told that the skate was invented in NL; I don’t know
how accurate that is historically...but I do know that I will never tire of experiencing these once-in-five-years moments when the ice is FINALLY thick enough and what looks like the entire country straps on their blades and braves the cold to 7/?)
pass their love of this activity on to the next generation and celebrate this ever-rarer but always magical cultural tradition all together.
Can’t add more. Heading back outside to soak in some icy joy.
(Fin).
Can’t add more. Heading back outside to soak in some icy joy.
(Fin).
