Photo Shoot: Snow day brings back memories of sledding - not all are good
Snow Day. Two words that put a smile on any kid’s face. Growing up, there was a sledding hill across the street and as soon as the word went forth, it filled. Snow clothing was a heavy pair of wool pants, a wool coat and lace-up rubber snow boots and mittens.
Sledding gear depended on the conditions, plastic toboggans worked well in all conditions, from fresh powder to slick ice. The round aluminum “flying saucers” were popular but hard to control. Flexible Flyer sleds with runners were good in packed powder and tricky on ice but manageable. The pros laid on their stomachs steering with their hands, novices sat down, steering with their feet.
My first sledding accident happened on the “flyer.” Riding pro-style I hit a patch of open ground, sled stopped instantly, my lip ripped up a runner. A few stitches and several days later I was back on the hill, but under orders from Mom, “Sit on the sled don’t lay on it.”
The saucer, flyer and an old wooden toboggan, from my grandfather, ride out most winters now hanging up in the garden shed, always ready for a snow day. Alas, there hasn’t been much snow the last few winters. The three inches that arrived last week were quickly washed away. But for the early riser, there was snow to play in.
Photo Shoot: The weather gods are angry
Poet Mary Oliver says, “To pay attention, that is our endless and proper work.” So, putting off snow removal I went out to “pay attention” to the snow. The first stop was a block away, a snowdrop blossom I spied a week ago. It was nowhere to be found, perhaps it had been an apparition?
The wet snow clung to everything, like white glue on a child’s art project. The snow walk quickly turned into a slush march. Rising temperatures sent down a steady rain, turning a winter wonderland into a gray slushy cup. The storm drain in front of the house still resembled a carefully cut patchwork quilt in black and white and was photo-worthy.
Photo Shoot: New Year's resolution: See more with my own eyes. Make fewer - and better - photographs.
It was more of a rain than snow day, but a start, now that the snow shovel has been christened, hopefully, the sleds will be next, there's still a lot of winter ahead.
Steve Heaslip is chief photographer at the Times. Follow him on Instagram: @cctphoto.
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Photo Shoot: Winter's first snowfall gives hope of more to come
