Six years ago, Grandpa Thompson introduced my kids to skating on a nearby pond.
(See our little house in the background?)
This is a picture of their first day on native ice. No Zambonis here! They took brooms and shovels to scrape the snow off so they could slide around on the ice. They loved it! Since then, we have collected several pairs of ice skates from Grandma's basement and thrift stores, and we venture down to the pond often for some winter fun.(See our little house in the background?)
Now my children can't wait for the temperature to drop so we can get a good freeze.
This year the pond finally froze enough to skate on November 27th.
It also snowed that day, which meant snow removal first.
The moment they arrived home from school that first freezing day, the kids dressed in their warm clothes, hauled their skates over their shoulders, and dragged the snow shovels behind them to the pond. They had so much fun, they wouldn't leave until well after the sun set! Despite the extreme chill, they were still wearing smiles!
We discovered, though, that the temperature drops quickly once the sun dips below the horizon, making for an arduous 1/4 mile trek back to the house, not to mention frozen toes, fingers, noses, and cheeks. Since then, we have instigated the "leave the pond before the sun goes down" rule--which has been more of a guideline than an actual rule, but nonetheless, has proven wise.
Did I mention that we have collected skates? More than a dozen pair of various sizes and styles. Mostly figure skates, a few hockey skates, and some old ones from Grandma's closet that don't resemble either! When friends come over, we can usually find some skates that are a close fit.
After the first week on the little pond, located right in front of the barn you see on the left in the picture below, the kids explored the regions round about in search of other skate-able ponds.
They discovered a much larger pond located 1/2 mile past the first pond, which covers about two acres. It is a longer hike, but offers so much more room for adventure! 
It was fun at first to make patterns and tracks in the untouched snow over the ice.
There are some animal lodges on that pond, which we suspect belong to some muskrats or beavers. You can skate right up to them because the water surrounding their homes is frozen. And making houses among the cattails has become a favorite activity at the pond. You can even find a comfortable spot to rest there!
It's a fun place to take friends!
As long as you come home before the sun goes down.
Since the tilt of the earth during winter solstice puts Trenton where the North Pole should be, it's not a surprise that there is plenty of chill to go around this time of year.
Here's a glimpse of more winter fun we make in the North.
This year the pond finally froze enough to skate on November 27th.
It also snowed that day, which meant snow removal first.
The moment they arrived home from school that first freezing day, the kids dressed in their warm clothes, hauled their skates over their shoulders, and dragged the snow shovels behind them to the pond. They had so much fun, they wouldn't leave until well after the sun set! Despite the extreme chill, they were still wearing smiles!
We discovered, though, that the temperature drops quickly once the sun dips below the horizon, making for an arduous 1/4 mile trek back to the house, not to mention frozen toes, fingers, noses, and cheeks. Since then, we have instigated the "leave the pond before the sun goes down" rule--which has been more of a guideline than an actual rule, but nonetheless, has proven wise.
Did I mention that we have collected skates? More than a dozen pair of various sizes and styles. Mostly figure skates, a few hockey skates, and some old ones from Grandma's closet that don't resemble either! When friends come over, we can usually find some skates that are a close fit.
After the first week on the little pond, located right in front of the barn you see on the left in the picture below, the kids explored the regions round about in search of other skate-able ponds.
They discovered a much larger pond located 1/2 mile past the first pond, which covers about two acres. It is a longer hike, but offers so much more room for adventure! 
It was fun at first to make patterns and tracks in the untouched snow over the ice.
There are some animal lodges on that pond, which we suspect belong to some muskrats or beavers. You can skate right up to them because the water surrounding their homes is frozen. And making houses among the cattails has become a favorite activity at the pond. You can even find a comfortable spot to rest there!
It's a fun place to take friends!
As long as you come home before the sun goes down.
Since the tilt of the earth during winter solstice puts Trenton where the North Pole should be, it's not a surprise that there is plenty of chill to go around this time of year.
Here's a glimpse of more winter fun we make in the North.
...When Jack Frost drops by.
How many kids can one tractor haul?
This is our standing record from two winters ago: 6 behind and 2 in the bucket.
Unfortunately, since that winter, our tractor hasn't been in working condition.
So that record may never be broken.
Oh well, at least we still have the ice pond!
Perhaps this year we'll take up hockey?
