Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Incongruous

Did you know that if you play a hockey team from East Grand Forks, Minnesota, that you should look for the rink in Grand Forks, North Dakota?  Neither did we.  After two trips back and forth across the bridge separating the two states, and the two towns, we finally figured it out.  








After a day of cloud and wind and rain 
Sometimes the setting sun breaks out again, 
And touching all the darksome woods with light, 
Smiles on the fields until they laugh and sing, 
Then like a ruby from the horizon's ring, 
Drops down into the night. 

Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
                                   



                                                      






As much as I loved these photos, they don't accurately reflect our day.  It was actually blustery, cold and poor travel conditions out in the open highway.  Colton was a stinker and didn't want to go with us out of town.  Poor grandma agreed to take him and had her hands full with a tired and sobbing boy.

Nolan's hockey team which previously beat this East Grand Forks team 8-1, barely hung on for a 4-2 win.  It was a cringe inducing, gut wrenching game that left us all wondering, "where the heck did our hockey team go?"  Does a team just forget how to play?  After a less than stellar day on Sunday as well in which we eeked out a tie, we've heard this weeks practice will be a little different.  No pucks, and lots of skating.  Nolan said he was going to find the garbage can and place it near the bench just in case.  The "Miracle on Ice" skate till they puke or drop scenes from the movie are a visual reminder of the lengths that a coach will go to to unite their team... of course we talk a tough game, but yes, we know they are only 10, wink, wink. 

But I wasn't left feeling badly about our day.  When you can find bits of a blue sky, even for a brief while, and a blaze of orange and red light up the evening ride home, you can't help but know on a deeper level, that the good is still left for us to find if we remember to look for it.  






12 comments:

  1. beautiful wintery photos! and that poem - love!

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  2. You learn a lot about your country doing these sport activities.
    I know I did, going to places I would never even think of going to.
    Some are so nice and then some have gangs It is extremely interesting.

    And some coaches are even more interesting. Some put their kids through hell especially when they starve them and tell them you can't talk to parents cause you are on a team.
    And why? Like you said They are only 10.
    But this is how men are made.
    My son used to sneak away to my room and munch up and then take
    snacks to his room and share with his friends in the next room.
    Water shortages in rooms at night were awful. So Moms had to be ingenious for their lads as well as the boys who came without parents. lol
    Yup . We had a lot of fun .
    Now they forget and Moms are not allowed to go to games cause now they are men.

    (crap)

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  3. Great pictures here! Reminds me of our vacation back to Illinois and the big bridges that we crossed back and forth there. Beautiful sunsets too..just awesome ;D

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  4. Despite the brutal weather conditions, those photos were beautiful! Stay warm tonight and tomorrow.

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  5. Winter has really set in over your side of the world. Hope you and your family are doing well. You are so right even the slighted break in the weather can bring hope.

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  6. Beautiful conclusion to your day ... both in word and image.

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  7. There's always beauty if you're open to it, even in the hardship of dealing with a son who thinks he might puke...

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  8. A reminder of the bigger picture is always good when life rolls out the dissapointments.

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  9. Another beautifully expressed and shared post Vicky! Thank you once again for brightening my day. Your blog looks terrific!!

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  10. Vicky... I just loved your post and it refreshed my morning.
    The magical sun set pics are beyond the horizons of beauty and the pics of that bridge are awesome too !!!.
    Beautiful poem singing the right song you wished to convey or listen to, through your matching sun set pics.
    Great going with your kids and the sport you love...Kudos !!!!

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