Snow, glorious snow

by Birch

Fern and Blossom slogged into the heavy snow this week on their cross-country skis. They packed a sleek, fast track but not without a lot of giggling tumbles. I can't help but recall the effort of pulling them behind me on a pulk sled when they were toddlers. They loved it, but it was work to ski with two bundled babies in the sled -- though not as much work as when they got their own skis at age three: Our family of four meant eight skis, eight poles, eight boots to buckle and snap into place. Today the girls gear up and zip around the meadow, confident in their expertise, and I'm the one who can't keep up. All afternoon they kick-glided along the circuit. When they came in for hot chocolate, they reported they had made fifty loops!