Ski Lithuania.

Cross-country skiing was the sport my Dad loved. He continued to ski even when his health declined.

Dad favored cross-country skiing over downhill skiing because he could pick up his skis and cross-country ski almost anywhere. He didn't need a ski lift, a mountain, or fancy gear. In his youth, people didn't wait for trails to be groomed; they just skied up and down the streets.

Dad's take on the difference between cross-country skiing and downhill skiing parallels my view of knitting versus sewing clothes. Although both are fun, I can pick up my knitting and do it most anywhere. Sewing is not portable.

I think of Dad each time I see a pair of ski shoes.

Kaunas, Lithuania, about 1938. Dad skis down a street of his hometown. He's not wearing a hat!