Memory lane

To me nothing says 'winter' like a pair of ice skates.  I haven't pulled mine out for quite some time but I have a wonderful memories of ice skating in my younger years.  

My parents owned a rustic cabin in the woods by a lake approximately a 6 hour drive from Vancouver and every year after Christmas we'd head up there to spend a week.  The lake was always frozen and so my brother and I would clear the snow off the ice and create our very own small ice rink.  I learned to twirl and do small jumps believing I was an accomplished figure skater.  I have wonderful memories of snowmobiling and ice fishing and seeing huge icicles hanging from the cabin eaves.  I remember feeding squirrels from my hand and standing around outdoor bon fires drinking hot chocolate to keep warm.  I recall slipping into freezing cold beds seeing frost on the inside of the small cabin while the pot belly stove burned valiantly competing with the elements. Such wonderful memories and even though I may not have enjoyed them all at the time, I remember them fondly as they truly are what gave me a love for the great outdoors.