Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Harrowsmith

    ’TIS THE SEASON

    Nov 19, 2018 6 minutes

    It’s 11 p.m., bitterly cold outside, and the snow has stopped after three or four hours of accumulation. A sensible person would be heading to bed at this point, but I am not a sensible person. I put on my coat and boots, grab my shovel, and head outside to clear my backyard rink.

    If I don’t get the snow off immediately, it could stick to the ice and ruin the skating surface when the temperature rises tomorrow. I’d have to flood two or three times to smooth things out, and if there’s a breeze while I’m doing this, I may end up making things worse. My fingers will be numb after 20 minutes or so, and I know I’ll be tired at work tomorrow. Why do I do this to myself?

    My reasons for rink building are complicated and go back almost 30 years. For one magical winter in my childhood, two of the neighbourhood dads came to an arrangement

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from Harrowsmith

    Harrowsmith5 min read
    Celestial Spring
    The evenings begin moonless, so take advantage of this by looking for some of the fainter constellations. Begin with the most obvious ones. Above the eastern horizon is Leo the Lion. Its head and mane are delineated by stars that form a backward “?”
    Harrowsmith6 min read
    People, Places, Things
    Do you have a foodie friend who seems to know exactly what spice you need to amp up your grandmother’s famous recipe? Or one who shares the name of the jarred marinara sauce that other, non-BFFs would swear is homemade? If not, you do now: Her name i
    Harrowsmith3 min read
    Garlic Galore
    In my food-centric world, spring officially arrives when the first bunches of green garlic appear at my farmer’s market. You might think the young, immature garlic shoots are scallions and overlook them. But don’t be fooled: With every passing week,

    Related