We used to take Christmas vacation in the Catskill Mountains of NY state at a cabin we used to have on the south side of the Pepacton reservoir.

One of my favorite childhood memories is bringing out a couple of single shot 22 LR rifles (one was a Savage 22/410, the other was a single shot long barreled Erma bolt action).

My Dad and my brother would bring a blanket and a box of 22's up the mountain and find some rock structures that had some water springs dripping (on the rocks). The water froze to form a reactive shooting gallery. Pick an icicle and bust it. It breaks and falls.

It was a great time lying on the blanket on top of the snow, shooting with my borther and father. We had a Marlin 39A, which was great too, but it was best with the single shots. I think it was because we could make a box or two of 22's last longer. It was just more time spent shooting with my Dad-something that I wish I could've increased. I'll never forget how great a time we had.

I'm sure we got cold, prone in the snow blanker-but I never remembered that, nor felt it.

Hope you have the chance to share that type of "quality time" with your childres.

GREAT time and memories. Pass it on.