I forget that it’s summer

Now with school in full swing, days growing shorter, and the possibility of cooler wet weather heading our way, it’s starting to feel like fall will soon be here. It is my favorite time of year, and as usual there is a lot to get done. Growing up in the north country, it was only really fall when the Burrville Cider Mill was open. Cider, apples, Croghan Baloney, and cheese curd were the treats of the season. The cider mill is still in operation, and they still make Croghan Baloney in the small village back up in Lewis county. When the boys were very young they got introduced to the whole fall tradition of going to the cider mill. It also signaled that the start of hockey was not far off. This was when they were still in the initiation program. That was a fun level to coach, but it was also an important level to start the kids off on the right foot Teaching tiny hockey players how to skate is very rewarding. Thinking that now many of these players are young adults now sets me back a little. Some became very good hockey players, and pretty good coaches in their own right. Most turned out to be pretty good kids all around. When I started off working in hydro our crew would spend a lot of time out on the dams. There are a lot of dams scattered around the US and Canada, but when I started out I only knew of the ones we worked on in the north country. Fall meant that the rivers would be clogged with leaves and tree limbs. When you weren’t in the plant working on the generators, you were out battling the river. It’s not easy work, and you find out real fast if you’re cut out for it or not. You see the seasons change on the river, and you know you’ll be out in the rain, snow, and ice when most people will be in out of the weather. Heading down to the rink after work was a welcomed relief from a long day on the river. A cup of hot coffee and you’re ready for the ice. This ice is for hockey, that other ice is not.
When the rivers and ponds freeze over they look like giant hockey rinks, but you don’t want to skate on these. You’ll wind up swimming more than skating. The outdoor rink at knickerbocker, or the village of Black River didn’t have a river running under it, nor do the artificial surfaces at most arenas. The lake out front freezes over pretty good, but we wait for a real thick ice to build before dropping the puck. I’m starting to get way ahead of myself again. It’s hot and humid right now. I guess I can wait a few more weeks before enjoying the Fall. Of course when I’m down at the rink I forget that it’s summer outside. It must be wishful thinking.