No snow winter fun

Even in January there has still been barely more than a flurry but the weather did turn bitterly cold - cold even by New Englander standards - and so the ponds froze up tight.  After the New Year we bundled up and faced the wind to visit Mary Blair park which is in town.  There are baseball diamonds, a small, woodsy play area and the river runs through it.  Because of the swift water it was not frozen completely and we discovered the sonorous sounds  that rocks make as the bounce across the open ice.

Walking across the tops of stumps.

The pond near the Miskinis' house did freeze up tight and smooth and they and some neighborhood boys cleared sections for skating.  Besides clearing a hockey arena and a skating arena they also plowed winding paths through the snow that we played chase on.  Maria can stay upright and move around on skates pretty well and we were proud of Stella for agreeing to try it out.  Most of the time she sat on a chair and we pushed her around but she did stand up a couple of times and tried to balance.