About Me

My photo
Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Photo Hunters - DARK


We moved to Ottawa, Ontario (our nation's capital) in July of 1986. It was a temporary move for my husband's job and we took advantage of all there was to see and do in such a climate. In the winter it's freezing cold and my husband made our entire back yard into a skating rink for our two daughters. I did a post on that here for ABC Wednesdays, "O is for Ottawa." I included this photo, but I really like it and it fits for Photo Hunters' "dark" theme today. These are my two girls, aged 11 and 7 1/2 at the time, skating outside on the rink in the dark. My husband put up floodlights so they could see well enough to skate, and it sure was fun watching them speed around their own private ice rink. Afterwards, they'd come in for hot chocolate and marshmallows before having a bath and going to bed. Sweet memories for me and for them, too, I imagine.

Click to enlarge if you like.

39 comments:

Rach said...

wow their own private skating rink - how lucky are they?! sounds like great fun :-)

Sarge Charlie said...

That is a very nice photo miss Leslie

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks like a fun photo, Leslie :)

Carver said...

That looks like so much fun. Great shot of your daughters and I'm sure it is a good memory for them.

Michele said...

That really does look terrific! I especially like the hot chocolate part and marshmallows... yummy! =)
Mountain Retreat

ancient one said...

Husbands can think of some of the most fun for kids. My husband once made a swimming pool in the body of his pickup truck.. Loved this post and the photo!

Fishman said...

Nice pic. I never tried ice skating before but they made it look so easy!

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Pretty cool!!! Private ring and skating in the dark, returning home to hot chocolate and marshmallows...heaven!

jmb said...

This photos suits this theme perfectly Leslie. Have a good weekend.

Anonymous said...

Oh that is cool shot. Happy hunting!

YTSL said...

A private skating rink sounds grand! And, judging from the expressions of the girls, a source of a lot of fun and happiness! :)

Anonymous said...

Omigosh that was the most fun. I really loved that! We made the most of the freeeeeezing weather out there. I really miss Dad!
Jamie

ellen said...

nice shot ms leslie...happy weekend

Anonymous said...

The memory of skating in the backyard must be soooo special to your girls too. Precious moment! I can just imagine how it must be for them.

Anonymous said...

happy weekend...mine is up too.

Anonymous said...

have a nice nice week ahead! nice blog...hope u can find time visit my site too.

jams o donnell said...

A yard as a skating rink? Now that is a passport to fun (and a few tumbles?) Happy weekend!

eastcoastlife said...

Wow! Your own skating rink in your backyard!! how cool is that! Such fun growing up in a country with large spaces! :)

mrsnesbitt said...

Dark had me baffled Leslie, ashamed to say! Still I can at least talk to Belinda! LOL! All will be revealed!

Colin Campbell said...

We have a back yard pool, which would be perfect if it just got a little cooler. Great and unique family event.

Melli said...

Awwww! What a FUN shot!

Liz Hinds said...

What a great dad! And a lovely photo and memories.

PastormacsAnn said...

Oooo, bbrrrr! Great photo for "dark." Love the way the ice looks.

philos said...

Wow! That looks fun... your own private skating rink--where hot chocolate with marshmallows after don't cost an arm and a leg hehe...

Anonymous said...

Looks like loads of fun!!

Happy Weekend.

SabineM said...

lovely
I lived in Switzerland (born and lived there until 13) and we used to make our own ice rink too! FUN stuff

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

They look so happy and such a cosy atmosphere!

rdl said...

Nice pic and great one for the theme!

Anonymous said...

It looks like the water (ice) has clouds or bubbles in it. how cool to be able to flood your yard for a skating rink. Does it damage the yard?

Thanks for visiting and commenting on my post today. Check back any time.

Clara said...

I loved skating at that age, too. But I had to go to the village rink. Great picture!

Patricia said...

Oh wonderful, Leslie. Sweet memories indeed. I've lived in Florida my whole life and cannot imagine ice-skating in my backyard. Water skiing, maybe! =) Hope your weekend is delightful and bright.

Randi said...

Great shots of your daughters -
looks really like great fun.

Anonymous said...

Precious photo! Great idea for the theme. Brings back memories of my childhood days skating on my neighbors homemade rink.

Leslie: said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone! I appreciate them very much. And the memories are sweet for us all.

ZOOLATRY said...

Are kitties allowed to have hot chocolate and marshmallows? Skating looks like such fun and our long furry coats would keep us very warm.
Thank you for visiting us, it was nice to meet you!
Maggy, Zoey & The Zoolatry Human

A. said...

That looks such fun! Imagine being able to go skating in the dark in your own back yard :)

Deb said...

Hi ~ I just wandered here for the first time and I enjoyed reading your posts. My pictures are my most valuable possession since they hold soooooo many memories. Cherish yours.

nancygrayce said...

Love that photo! Have you scanned a lot of pictures? I need to do that but it takes a lot of time and I don't know a quick way! If you have a hint share please! Thanks

Claire said...

What fun! I was in Ottawa a very long time ago, just visiting.