Downhiller

OK, I know... this is supposed to be a nature photo-and-essay blog—not an account of the blogger's family. But hey, my granddaughter was here for an extended visit, and with all the snow on the ground—a condition that made it just about impossible for us to get into the backcountry—we opted for something different. We've had this wonderful toboggan for eons—my granddaughter's dad rode it with me when he was a kid during the famous Blizzard of '78—and it was the perfect vehicle for riding the dense, thickly packed snow on our local sledding hill. Stasia certainly agreed and, suitably dressed in balaclava and Buzz Lightyear shades, she rode with me numerous times, then, her courage right up there, she decided to try a solo. It's not quite the Olympics luge run, but who knows? In any event, she squealed with glee as she shot down the incline... by herself. The watchword of the day was, "Again!"