I get a little warm in my heart when I think of Winter


I stole the title of my post from Tori Amos' song, "Winter". It's one of my favorites. I have always loved Winter. Winter is a beautiful season in New England but lately it has been unseasonably warm. In fact most of our Winter here in New England has been too warm.

Due to our mild temperatures, the opening ceremony for our outdoor skating rink on the Town Common had been delayed from December 23rd to January 2nd to January 16th to finally January 23rd. We had the good fortune of having the rink donated by Celli Century 21 and Cassidy Brothers Landscaping.

So we had our opening ceremony on January 23rd which was a bitterly cold day. Go figure, from one extreme to the other. Of course we want cold temperatures in order to maintain our outdoor skating rink but there was a ridiculous wind chill that day. The ice was pristine and inviting.


The wind on my face took me back to days skating or trying to skate on the ice at my elementary school's outdoor rink. I remember my Dad skating behind me and holding me under my arms to prop me up. The chill in the air burning my cheeks and my feet almost numb from the cold. I felt secure in his arms and developed my love for the cold of Winter on that rink so many years ago.

Years later, I took figure skating lessons and I skated at indoor rinks with friends. Practicing a couple of times a week. Feeling that familiar chill on my cheeks as I skated round and round at much faster speeds. Loving every minute of it.

Happy Memories of Winter as in the song "Winter".

I get a little warm in my heart when I think of Winter,
I put my hands in my Father's glove.

As I watched the kids skate, I hoped they formed joyful memories from this outdoor rink. The sisters who held hands as they skated, the youth hockey team who officially opened the rink with a ceremonial skate, the rosy cheeked little girl all bundled up in her pink ski jacket, the Dad with his son. As for me, I may possibly take a spin for old time's sake.

Cuz I get a little warm in my heart when I think of Winter.








Comments

Unknown said…
What wonderful memories for you! I can almost feel the sting on my cheeks as well.
Nellie said…
How wonderful that you have such happy memories of skating when you were younger! In this part of the country, it's difficult to expect the weather to cooperate for winter sports, though the city did sponsor a skating rink during December and the first of January. I've never even tried this sport. The winter weather has really been weird, hasn't it?
artistswriter said…
Oh, I'm with you, Elaine! I love Winter, too! And what am I doing in Arkansas?? It's not my fault! LOL Anyway, once a New Englander, always a New Englander, and I loved to ice skate, too, all winter long. We always had our own ice skates of course, and I carried mine across the country with me, and then sold them in Southern California!! Sure couldn't use them there.

But back to Winter, I always pray we'll get some snow, and we usually get a little. We do get some cold frosty mornings, and I love to walk then. But Winter in New England will always be my favorite, and I'm so glad I grew up there and had that experience.

Enjoy your ice rink! And happy skating for me, too!! Jane xo
Beautifully written, Elaine, and I think it's so because your skating memories are still so close to your heart.

Weather has been wonky everywhere. It has warmed up so much at our lake in Michigan that it take a few very rare winters for us to ice skate or for the ice fisherman to arrive. I hope we get back on track but I'm not very positive about that. :(

Jane

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