Rinky kids

We are just so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. This is a shot of the rink from the up-hill side for a change, looking down towards what would be Slocan Lake if you could see it for the trees. From this side you can appreciate the way our yard really is nestled in the forest. Above the camera and out of view are the half dozen gigantic red cedars that grace the north side of the yard. The house is to the left, the garden off the frame to the right.

The rink survived in fine form while we were in Calgary. There's still that "high corner" (off beyond Noah's out-stretched arm) where the liner still isn't properly covered with ic yet, but that's a small area and the rest is terrific, and there's enough of it for four kids to skate at the same time without colliding with each other unnecessarily.

Here's the view from the kitchen. The rink is just a hop, skip and a jump from the house. We now have leftover strips of carpet across the concrete stoop and the kitchen floor, meaning that the kids can get their skates on and off in front of the wood stove and just walk to and from the rink in all their gear.

Not that the jackets and hats tend to stay on. Here you can see that Erin's just in a t-shirt, and Sophie has tossed her jacket aside as well.