A wide open field, where no one has walked after new snow, has no visible features. Walking over it feels like walking in total darkness, like space. Especially on this cloudy day, there is nothing to guide, no contrast, everywhere white. Looking back, only my footprints mark change. The cold spell is over now and I breathe easier, bare faced in ten degrees. This field is the back way into Holiday Inn, a plush hotel that I’ve avoided until today. It rests on a bluff overlooking Rainy River, having a fine restaurant with a view. It’s mostly vacant in the winter, but filled with fisherman and sightseers in the summer. I came for breakfast and was the only customer.
On the way home, I walked by Kerry Park, and my jaw dropped! After all the promises and delays, the city has finally flooded the concrete, and a shiny glaze of ice covers the area. Not a soul skating. I hurried back to get my skates, haven’t been on them in years. I laced up the racing blades that I still have from high school, when every week, Royal Blades met at Pasadena Winter Gardens on Arroyo Parkway. I skated behind Olympic racers then, never as good, not even close, but just being on the same ice with world champions felt promising. I’ve never skated on ice like this, outside, unrefrigerated, the way skating began. I felt clumsy at first, a beginner, and happy nobody watched. But an hour into it, the feeling of easy speed partly returned. I felt some control on the slippery ice, some balance, as I leaned into centrifugal force. Speed skating was my thrill then, much faster than running, crouching low to the ice, leaning heavily into the turns.
The pictures here look like a skater on some other world. I perched the camera on a rail, timer set. Somehow it could not adjust itself for ice. Tomorrow is Saturday; surely the town folk will be out skating, and someone will hold my camera.
A wide open field, where no one has walked after new snow, has no visible features. Walking over it feels like walking in total darkness, like space. Especially on this cloudy day, there is nothing to guide, no contrast, everywhere white. Looking back, only my footprints mark change. The cold spell is over now and I breathe easier, bare faced in ten degrees. This field is the back way into Holiday Inn, a plush hotel that I’ve avoided until today. It rests on a bluff overlooking Rainy River, having a fine restaurant with a view. It’s mostly vacant in the winter, but filled with fisherman and sightseers in the summer. I came for breakfast and was the only customer.
On the way home, I walked by Kerry Park, and my jaw dropped! After all the promises and delays, the city has finally flooded the concrete, and a shiny glaze of ice covers the area. Not a soul skating. I hurried back to get my skates, haven’t been on them in years. I laced up the racing blades that I still have from high school, when every week, Royal Blades met at Pasadena Winter Gardens on Arroyo Parkway. I skated behind Olympic racers then, never as good, not even close, but just being on the same ice with world champions felt promising. I’ve never skated on ice like this, outside, unrefrigerated, the way skating began. I felt clumsy at first, a beginner, and happy nobody watched. But an hour into it, the feeling of easy speed partly returned. I felt some control on the slippery ice, some balance, as I leaned into centrifugal force. Speed skating was my thrill then, much faster than running, crouching low to the ice, leaning heavily into the turns.
The pictures here look like a skater on some other world. I perched the camera on a rail, timer set. Somehow it could not adjust itself for ice. Tomorrow is Saturday; surely the town folk will be out skating, and someone will hold my camera.
Wow, it happened! The skating has begun! Just when I asked for it! And today I sent a packet to you, with a similar illustration... last time I did Sharon the skier... this time it was the skater... wait and see! So your blue jacket turned purple on ice?! Or is the coat blue and the jacket purple? Or maybe you turned into a mood stone?!! You sort of look like a robot~skater...
ReplyDeleteMaybe I was transported to the pure white planet of Zorgon and the camera faithfully captured my image. Being here is so different, never thawing, snow as lasting as dirt, three weeks until liquid water survives outside.
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in Santa Fe it was like that too,,,, the other planet~ness of winter... it never ended... after so many many months and yards of snow~like dirt we rode at February's end out of winter... with a friend Western Art dealer out of there and to the orange~blossoms of here... sigh... I like the white and scent of citrus blossoms and am content... otherwise... with your pictures! Did you notice? Kath predicted the day of your skating!
ReplyDeleteYes, you said on Friday at noon, “Any skating there yet?” and I was skating at about that time. Are you a psychic, a prophet, telepathic, or just smart? Please explain.
ReplyDeleteIt's just lovely, I don't know...!
ReplyDeleteIce skates, yee haw... I have been waiting for this moment the whole trip, to see you (finally) on your skates... Congrats.
ReplyDelete