I wish I had a river I could skate away on


Digging out from under piles of work, with holiday prep woefully inadequate to date, I’ve been daydreaming, romanticizing really, what I could do with a pair of ice skates and a frozen river. The reality is, in Los Angeles it was too hot yesterday for an extra sweater over a T-shirt. But I can’t complain. (I have a neighbor who uses that as his constant rejoinder to “How are you”? Always he gives the calm response, with a philosophical shrug and smile, “I can’t complain.” I’ve been trying on the phrase for size, but still need a lot more practice with it.)

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Amsterdam’s frozen canals in 2012

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From a 2012 Huffington Post piece.


And just because a daydreaming procrastinator loves company, here’s a link to an article on the world’s best ice skating from Four Seasons Magazine. Note the comment from Patty in Davis, California: “Half way between Montreal & Quebec City is a privately owned labyrinth of zambonied ice paths through the woods totaling 12km. This is the largest non rink ice skating in the world. It is called The Labyrinth du Domaine Enchanteur. It is absolutely amazing, an ice skaters mecca!! See for yourself, well off the beaten path, no crowds here. These people are beekeepers and have this in the winter along with ice fishing to support their livestock and bees.”

Someone is skating through snowy woods on The Labyrinth du Domaine Enchanteur today. My speed and distance will be dictated by the wheels on this office chair. But I can’t complain. And I’m a terrible ice skater anyway.

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5 Responses to I wish I had a river I could skate away on

  1. Scott Weber says:

    I want to go to there!

  2. Denise says:

    Scott, let’s go! But now that I think about it, it’d kill me to visit Holland at any time other than late summer/fall, when Oudolf’s garden peaks.

  3. As a teenager I tried roller and ice skating. Despite being proficient at downhill skiing, I was unable to stay vertical. While my friend flawlessly floated and pirouetted herself around the rink, I hobbled and tripped and held on to the edge for dear life.

    The photos look lovely though.

    Have a wonderful Christmas…no complaining! 🙂

  4. Denise says:

    Grace, it’s all in the ankles with ice skating, isn’t it? Happy holidays to you as well — hoping you get to relax now that the freeze is over.

  5. Very good way to deal with winter…what a difference from where I lived 4 years as a kid, just south in Belgium. Hardly ever any ice there, just wet dripping and more wet…this looks so romantic…to visit!

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