Snow covered car

Snow cover on Toyota Camry 2011 over night. Have encountered worse than this though! Waiting for the summer now.

Posted for Thursday Photography contest

Learnings from my ice skating experience

I have, for the first time in my life, gone ice skating in St. Paul downtown during Christmas break. That's one of the advantages living in places with severe winters. We had to pay only $2 per person for renting the ice skates, and the entry was free of cost. Definitely a very cheap deal!

Being a beginner I was quite apprehensive initially, but it turned out to be a wonderful experience. We spent more than 2 hours trying to learn and we were only left with a feeling to go back again soon after the entire session. The best sight I have come across was little kids of 3 - 5 years skating effortlessly, a visual treat to watch them skate.

A few things I have learned are

Regardless of the temperatures outside and your skill level, it is a good idea to don your winter gear properly since you will be exposed to cold for quite sometime skating on the ice rink outdoors. When I say proper winter gear, wear all your layers - winter hat to woolen socks, scarf to gloves and jeans to winter jacket.  

You really don't need to feel awkward that you don't know how to skate when you do it for the first time. You would see a lot of people falling down on the rink in an attempt to skate, and you will fall down as well. That adds to the fun part of the experience.

Be it a group of friends you go along with, your significant other or your family, ice-skating also proved to be a social experience. You would get a feeling that you have spent quality time with your group.

And, hell yeah, it's a great source of exercise. You would sweat a lot even though you skate outdoors in the freezing temperatures for hours. 

Trying hitting the nearest ice-skating rink and there is a good chance you would like the experience.

Ring out the old, ring in the new

With fizz of champagne
And sparkle of fire works
A New year begins

Light the lamp of hope,
Of freedom, but leave behind
despair of darkness

Here is wishing you all a prosperous new year. On this New Year, let us for a little bit pause ourselves from the mad rush of our busy lives in the rat race for success. Let us revive ourselves and think of the little change we can bring around us for the good. Let us ring out the old, and ring in the new. Let us ring out the darkness and ring in the kindness.

New Year Wishes from Minnesota; Photo from Minnehaha Creek, Minneapolis

Although written about two centuries ago, this particular poem still stands good in the current scenario also. And this is 106th Canto of "In Memoriam A. H. H." written by Lord Tennyson.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind

For those that here we see no more;

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

Snowfall

A new beginning
Echoes with the leafless trees
Clad in silky snow

Snow started all of a sudden this year. What was a pleasant sunny city until yesterday morphed into white color completely after the sudden 6-inch thick snow fall today. Here is another photo of this place early this morning and the snow-lady we built for the record. :D 

Posted for

Haiku Heights

One Single Impression

Fun in Frozen Winters

This is the Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis completely frozen during winter. And this is how a typical day during winter is, in Minnesota. Personally, the least temperature I've experienced is -40Centigrade (which is also -40Farenheit) in December 2008. Fun place, isn't it?! :) 

Posted for Thursday photo challenge for fun and learning through photographs.

~Vee...