It’s not a common question you hear in the winter in this neck of the woods, but it was what I overheard a colleague asking another on Monday morning. “How was swimming this weekend?”
We live in the Great White North and it’s only due to a recent influx of larger recreation centres with indoor pools in area towns that for a few hours on our off time we can enjoy a warm weather activity as snow blows outside. What is more likely to happen on a weekend, though, are hardy Canadians heading into the ice and cold to enjoy fun times on the rinks, slopes and trails.
Ice skating and hockey dominate in community arenas, where conditions are perfect even in a mild winter. Snowmobilers head through town to fuel machines and bodies before riding the highways through the snow. Trails in rural forests and wide open fields provide the perfect setting for cross-country skiers, while downhill fans head to the closest hills.
One of my favourite winter sights, however, is the horde of youngsters gathered at the hill by the river for tobogganing. It’s been a hot spot for kids forever and the fresh look of rosy-cheeked tots accompanied by the music of laughter is a bright spot on my walk home from work.
If you’re looking for happy faces enjoying winter sports these illustrations from several online sources are perfect for a variety of projects:
