Spring is just ahead

 This has been our third winter here in the Netherlands and I must say that they have been fairly "gentle" to someone like me who doesn't do well in the cold and wet.  Over the years Henk has shared his experiences of winters from his growing up years and when we arrived here we both expected some pretty harsh weather but in the past two winters we have had some cold windy days but only a skiff of snow that disappeared within hours.  It also was not cold long enough to freeze the canals over which was fine with me but Henk has actually been wishing that we could have a really cold winter so that he could show me what he remembers from his childhood, snowdrifts, ice on the canals and the chance to see people skating on them. 

This winter has again been mild with some nice warm sunny days when we have enjoyed long walks.  I have been thankful for the added blessing of the comfortable winter weather up until about 3 weeks ago when we heard reports of a drop in temperatures and a heavy freeze coming our way the next week.  People all around began excitedly talking about a possible chance of the canals freezing over thick enough so that there could be a skating event called the "eleven city tour" (elfstedentocht) which is a race that takes place on the canals between eleven of the north-western cities in the province of Friesland which is where Henk grew up.  The last time the event took place was in 1997.   

Then on the folĺowing Friday afternoon the  temperature began to drop to below freezing  and by Saturday afternoon just after we finished closing up from an endowment session at the temple and had gone home, the snow began to fall.  

The snow continued falling lightly through the night and the next couple of days. 

We got quite a load on our 3rd floor walkway.  When Henk opened our front door Saturday evening we already had about 4 inches leaning against it.  

By morning we had another 2 inches on top of that.

The snow was perfect for building a snowman and our next door neighbor made one too... She thought our's needed a friend.

Henk had to go borrow a shovel from the temple to clean up the walkway starting at the end near the elevator going along to the other end in front of all the neighboring doors.  He said it almost felt like at home where shoveling walks up and down the street was what he does every winter.

It was great to see so many families come outside all bundled up in their warm clothing, pulling sleds and playing in the snow.

     We loved hearing the children's voices and gleeful squeals as they slid down the little hills on their sleds  and tubes.  There is a little playground right behind our apartment complex that attracted many families and we went out to take pictures. 

The temperature stayed below freezing for the whole week and yet it was beautifully sunny.  We started seeing ice on the canals and by Thursday we saw a few brave teenagers skating.

Just beyond the little playground is a pond that also became the gathering place for many families when the ice got thick enough to skate on.  

Friday there were lots more people on the ice and by Saturday and Sunday the canals, ponds and smaller lakes were covered with people enjoying themselves on the ice. 

Henk had told me that children learned to skate by taking a chair on the ice with them and pushing it in front of them.  We did see several chairs on the ice.

It was really sunny but a very cold wind was blowing.  We of course, had to bundle up and go out there too.  We didn't  skate but we did stand on the ice.  

As far as the hopes for another Elfstedentocht were concerned it was determined that the ice in the canals in the Friesland area was not good enough for the race to take place this year.  It probably takes a long slow and deep freeze to get the right conditions for what they need to have that race.  

Everyone was truly taking advantage of the opportunity that this freeze brought and we heard much laughter and saw lots of happy faces.

We actually thought that this was the perfect freeze.  That Sunday was the last day that anyone could skate on the canals and ponds because by Monday the temperatures went up to the 50's and all the ice was covered with a layer of water.  Then as the week continued we had some days in the 60's which melted the ice very quickly.
 

Henk and I decided that this "perfect freeze" was a gift from our Heavenly Father just for us because Henk had really wanted to share this experience with me and as far as I was concerned it was only really really cold for about a week.  Who could ask for anything more.  It was "Perfect"!!                                    "Thanks, Heavenly Father!"    

And look at this ...... Spring is just ahead .......