Pole Sledding

16x20 Acrylics on Canvas
Rivers here in the winter used to freeze hard, and my grandfather would call, and we had a pole sledding party. A stake net pole was dropped through a hole in the ice, another one tied horizontal with a lead of rope on the end tied to a sled. Everybody got on the end and pushed to get a turn, as momentum picked up, the sled became very hard to hold onto. I witnessed many people go a crossed the ice like a puck. The smell of a bonfire filled the cold crisp air, and hot dogs, marshmallows blended in. Hot cocoa and warmed apple cider for women and children as the men made for trucks with homemade wine or snips of brandy. I can still hear loved ones yelling "you kids be careful now" to no avail, I slipped every time. Hats and scarves strewn about the ice, you learned to ice skate pushing an old wooden fish box. The love of family and friends on cold bleak nights while times were hard brought a peaceful warm feeling, this was true American culture in our area at its best....