Noel pictures, taken on our September visit

Noel and Grammy at the Dallas, Texas zoo on a very hot day, September 7. She loves her visits to the zoo. The family has a membership and makes frequent visits. Noel was a good guide, and she knew which animals resided in each major area. Her favorites are the giraffes and the elephants, although it seemed to us she liked all of the animals. She is sitting on a statute of a large tortoise.




Noel started taking hockey lessons in May. She had been learning to skate before she moved to Texas. She took skating lessons in Texas, and then in May was ready to begin lessons that would teach skating techniques for hockey. She is enjoying the lessons, and is the only girl in her class of five and six year olds.





Noel has a complete hockey uniform provided by the professional team, the Dallas Stars, who are encouraging children and adults to learn to skate. There are many skating rinks in the Dallas area, and a new one has just opened in McKinney, Texas where she lives. The lessons at her level do not include use of the stick, but are teaching the kids all the skills of skating backwards, forward, cross overs, balance, etc. Skating is year round in Texas, whereas the local rink in North Adams only operates in the winter. In the hot summers, it is no wonder so many people are enjoying skating in Texas!