Both the temperatures and the wind chills are in the negatives today so Papa’s Polar Patch will be closed Saturday, Jan. 4. The forecast looks the same (or colder) for Sunday as well.

We’ve had requests to be open additional weekends this winter. We certainly have the snow for it; the winter weather is our challenge. We will keep you posted on our plans.

We visited this morning like we do most every Saturday morning and shared some of our favorite memories from this year’s polar patch season. Always at the top of the list is when we have multi-generational families join us. Yesterday is a good example.

Grandpa was clearly the instigator in an all-out snowball battle over the Papa’sville play structures. There were multiple adults and children taking defensive positions and firing away at one another. Thirty minutes later, they were snow-covered and full of smiles!

The zip line into a snow pile was another fav this season. The number of children who came skiing into the snow and rolled right up the snow hill was only exceeded by the number of giggles from parents and nearby adults who enjoyed the show.

Most everyone who visited Papa’s took time for a horse-drawn sleigh ride. The snow was perfect for the skis to glide along behind driver Chase’s big white and black team. The ride was an awesome way to enjoy the wintry outdoors.

And the old-fashioned sled rides. This year, we used single, double and triple sleds for some incredibly wild and crazy rides. Without a doubt, the craziest ride of the season was a test run with Papa behind the wheel and his sister and nephew on two of the three sleds we run as a triple sled ride. (Note: Papa had been waiting and planning this ride and he could hardly wait to give his sister a really big surprise!)

Papa came around some bales out in the field and headed back toward the big red barn. Unknown to his sister, there was a huge pile of leaves covered with snow that was coming up. Papa planned his route to send her right through them.

Unknown to Papa, his sister remembered Papa hauling several loads of manure from the barn out to the field. As she saw the pile of snow coming up and knew she was going over it, she was sure Papa was sending her into a great big pile of you-know-what from the barn! When she hit the pile, and since it was leaves, she went more through it than over it and there was an instant blanket of dark brown that covered her and her sled.

For just an instant, she was certain she was covered in you-know-what! Papa had to stop the run he was laughing so hard. The nephew was in the sled immediately behind his mom and he fell off laughing because he saw the whole thing from behind.

Once she realized it was only leaves, the name calling turned to laughter for all three!

Papa and the family are grateful to share memories and their winter wonderland with so many friends and families. Stay warm in the days to come!

Take good care,

Papa