Winter Shoreline

Door County, Wisconsin, December 1979. It's a good spot for skiing.

A Balanced Beginning

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1979. Mom's about ready to head home.

Satisfaction

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1979. Mom has adjusted to her "ski legs."

Heading Home

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1979. Mom has finished skiing, and she follows Gigi.

Success.

Door County, Wisconsin, February 1980. Mom finds her balance.

Back at the Cottage

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1978. Dad has finished the round and returns to the spot from which he started.

We groom our own trails.

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1978. Dad has found the end of the road.

Enjoy the snow.

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1980. Dad's heading up South Sand Bay Lane, and Gigi is not far behind him.

The Frozen Lake, in Three Takes

Ice today covers 62% of Lake Michigan. The lake experienced similar conditions in 1979.

Don't panic. Instead, relax and embrace the normal.

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Door County, Wisconsin, February 1979. Mom skis the Lake-Michigan shoreline along Sand Bay.

Lake-Edge Glide

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1978. It's like riding a bike.

A View from the Skis

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1978. Dad took this photo on a day he'd been skiing along the Lake-Michigan shoreline.

Take advantage of winter weather.

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1978. It's easy to glide on the frozen shoreline.

Ski as along as there's snow.

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, April 1965. Natasha, one of the two younger sisters of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, continues to ski.

A Spring Ski

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1979. Gigi accompanies Dad as he skis the shoreline.

Shoreline Skiing

Door County, Wisconsin, January 1978. Dad doesn't need groomed trails to have fun.

Supervised Snow Play

Downers Grove, Illinois, February 1962. My Mom and a friend watch over us. I later continued skiing.

Skiing in Russia

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, January, 1964. Natasha, one of the two younger sisters of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, cross-country skis.

Winter Ready

Penza, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, February 1960. Natasha, one of the two younger sisters of my paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, wrote, "To dear Tanechka. See how much snow we have. Snow has covered the entire veranda."

Thanks to my friend, D, for translating the text from Russian to English.

It must have been warm because Dad didn't wear a hat.

Door County, Wisconsin, March 1978. Dad's about to engage in his favorite sport. The Lake Michigan shoreline appears in the background.

It's never too late to learn something new.

Door County, Wisconsin, February 1979. My Dad taught Mom how to cross-country ski the same year he taught her how to ride a bicycle. I remember the mid- to late 1970s—when my Parents became "empty nesters"—as truly happy years for them.

Dad wears his beret and one of the many zippered cardigans Mom knitted for him. Mom "frogged" the piece some years after Dad died, and she reknitted the yarn into a lovely sweater for me. I wore it a couple of days ago.