This image was taken when it was 7 degrees a couple weeks ago and I took a chance by walking out to the middle of this creek for an icy reflection photo. The creek was not completely frozen but I tried to use my best judgement when to go no further. I will tell a little story about my childhood and why I still have a solid respect for the dangers of ice and falling in. When I was somewhere around 12 years old or so, me and my friends were sledding at a local park and at this park there was a pond. This pond was completely frozen except an area about 10 feet round where spring water kept it open at the edge. Being a stupid kid I took my friends sled and gave it a push downhill toward the pond while laughing about how he had to now go down the hill to retrieve it! Well despite the pond being 95 percent frozen, you can guess where the sled went, and you would be correct if you said in the open 10 foot hole. So it was getting late and we all headed home to warm up but if I knew what was coming I may have stayed at a friend’s instead. As I am sitting in my bedroom relaxing, my dad gets a call apprising him of the sled at the bottom of the pond situation. He informs me we are heading to the pond right now and I am going in to retrieve it! My dad was a Marine and when he said something you didn’t argue and so I knew I was in for a rough night! We arrived in the dark at the pond and with a flashlight we could see the sled on the bottom directly below the spot where water became ice which was maybe 4-5 feet deep. He said go get it and all I could think was I am going to get sucked under that ice never to come up again and I am balling my eyes out as I got a little over waist deep. Finally my dad yells get out, and then informs me we are now going to the store to buy a new sled that I am going to hand deliver to my friend’s house that night! So my friend got a new sled and I got a life lesson that is still fresh in my mind almost 50 years later! So every time I walk on ice, I am keenly aware of the dangers that exist. Kids nowadays have no clue how easy they have it compared to my generation and to be honest I am not sure I would want it any different. Sometimes life’s little challenges can make you stronger in the long run.