Upon A Frozen Lake

The white Christmas I had been hoping for came, but not in the way I was expecting. No light, fluffy snow blanketed the yard, instead it was white with a thick layer of frost. Leading up to New Years was not different. Frost covered everything, and the temperatures outside were so low it was best to sit inside with a cup of tea and a nice book. Quinn and I, however, had other ideas...



Fish Creek is a spot we frequently take Greta for a walk, and is beautiful in all seasons. One of the large lakes was frozen over, and Quinn was excited to go ice skating. I wasn't as excited, for last winter I had taken a hard fall while skating and had cracked my tailbone. I hadn't been able to run or bend over for what seemed like weeks, and I wasn't excited for a repeat performance. Quinn kindly offered to pad me all over with pillows, but I decided to just be as careful as possible.

It was a beautiful day, with a clear blue sky. The thermometer back at the Barn read 8 degrees, so Quinn and I were wearing plenty of layers (with me borrowing a pair of Quinn's snow pants for extra warmth!). With chilled fingers we laced up our skates - mine bought at a garage sale years prior - as I tried to talk myself out of being too scared.

I gracefully fell over as soon as Quinn tried to help me up onto the ice. My goodness it was slick! He held my hands as we carefully started forward, following all my pleas to "Slow down! SLOW DOWN!" Haha! I promise I did eventually get more comfortable skating - soon I was off by myself, skating around with Greta and Lupin, who had come along as well.

Quinn of course was a lot braver than I, and Greta and Lupin ran back and forth across the lake - barking loudly, with the sound echoing off the trees - as they followed Quinn this way and that.

The ice was thick, with all manner of interesting patterns within it. Whole portions of the lake ice were clear, and you felt as if you could see right down to the bottom if you had a light. Other parts were clouded with frozen bubbles, making lovely designs.

We decided to explore the fringes of the lake, stopping to allow Quinn and the puppies to have a race around some dead trees.

Quinn won of course, with Greta second, but he wouldn't have if they were on land!

A bit later we found a frosted over beaver dam, we knocked, but there didn't seem to be any beavers home.

Around and around we skated, Greta and Lupin following all the while. Although I did get more comfortable skating, I think you can see in the pictures that I never went too fast!

I think the puppies liked skating with me though, for they could keep up (unlike with Quinn!).

Well, they tried to at least!

 

My toes were getting cold, but we were having so much fun, it was hard to quit. We promised ourselves to come back the next day. Before taking off our skates we tried to get a picture of all of us, but Lupin didn't know where the camera was...

Oh well! Quinn tried again as I took my skates off, and this time, she even smiled! 

Good girl Lupin!

We bundled back into the car and blasted the heat all the way home. Once back in our toasty warm kitchen, I put the kettle on and Quinn made his favorite after-skating snack: a peanut butter and honey sandwich along with a cup of hot coco. I had a cup of tea, along with some of our Christmas candy (served on a new Brambly Hedge plate I got for Christmas to add to my collection!).

Being out in the cold winter air is always a treat, but coming home to a warm Barn kitchen for tea or coco is extra special, wouldn't you agree? Until next time dear reader, stay warm!