First the snow was stamped down and smoothed over. Then on an icy cold night, the yard was flooded with water from our garden hose.

When the base ice set, the hose was set to a very fine spray and our backyard pond was gently sprayed with water each hour until the ice was inches thick and black in the night.

We skated every day after school and at night after homework. The very last thing was to sweep away the ice scrapes and spray them smooth again.

The nights always glistened when I waltzed with my father on his handmade ice pond.