Woods & Water by Dick Herfindahl

As I sit here writing this week’s column, I look out the window to see a few flurries and an obvious layer of ice. Now I am a believer in opting on the side of cautious, and from what the guy on the radio tells me it is slick out there. School has already been cancelled, which eliminates a lot of unnecessary worry for parents. I can remember when I was in school and there would be a snow storm and the announcement on the radio was “buses will run on plowed roads only,” this had no effect on me until I went into seventh grade.

I attended Hammer School for grades one through six and I did walk to school and back every day. Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, it was not uphill both ways.

Those of us who were lucky enough to attend a country school had a special bond with our fellow classmates. Everyone knew everyone and just like in any close knit group, there were occasional disagreements but nobody ever held a grudge. We were good at making our own fun and were very creative when it came to having fun at recess time.

One year, we dug “fox holes” in the school yard which were deep enough to hide in. A few of us snuck some boards up there one night after school to hide them from the authorities (teachers). This all came crashing to a screeching halt when the teachers (there were two) uncovered our elaborate hideout. We suspected that one or more of the girls may have ratted us out because it was a “boys only” project. In all reality the teachers might have become suspicious when the same boys were always hanging out near the back of the school yard. Our only punishment was having to fill those holes with dirt, which at the time was more than enough.

I can remember the many times that I would walk to school with a scarf across my face to shield me from the wind. This was my mother’s rule and I didn’t really think anything of it because I had a paper route delivering the Minneapolis Star to all subscribers from the slough to the airport. My mother always made me wear that scarf when the weather was bad and breathing into the scarf would cause it to ice up. After a period of time the part covering your mouth was like chewing on a board.

There were always times when the weather would be bad and if it fell on Thursday, which was collection day, you had to knock on doors to collect the money. There were a few times when you could see movement in the house and then the lights would go off like they were hiding. I didn’t get mad at these folks, because our family didn’t have a lot of money so I’d bite the bullet and wait a week because I knew they would eventually pay me.

I went out in a lot of weather that kids today wouldn’t be allowed to venture out in. My dad instilled in me at a young age the idea that if you commit to a job or make a promise, then you have to fulfill your end of the bargain. I actually didn’t mind being out in an old fashioned snow storm because, after all, I loved being outdoors and roaming the neighborhood on a dark winter night was something that I felt was more like an adventure than a job.

I still get a warm feeling whenever I am outdoors on a cold winter’s night with the moonlight shining on the snow that makes a crunching, squeaking sound as you walk on it. I guess the word tranquility comes to mind when I see moonlight shining on the snow on a cold, still winter night.

I am not trying to glorify winter, but in all reality there are a lot of fun things that can be done in winter. Ice skating at the park is one, I live only a block from Academy Park and my boys grew up playing hockey at that park, so I still get goosebumps when I go outside and see the lights and hear the sound of pucks being shot at the boards. It brings back some pleasant memories from years long passed.

Sledding is another fun pastime that costs little or nothing and can be enjoyed by the whole family. I can still hear the excitement in the boys’ voice when they were small and I told them that we were taking them sliding. I have also heard it in my grandsons and again in my granddaughter’s voices. There is nothing more joyful and fulfilling than the sound of a child’s voice as they anticipate doing something that they know will be fun.

Until next time, spend some time in the outdoors sharing an adventure with a youth, whether it be your child, grandchild or a friend’s child, it’s what memories are made of.

Please take some time to honor those who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms that we enjoy today. Also, take some time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who served and those troops serving today.