At our home the most private yard space is to the north of the house. There is a very noticeable difference in the amount of sun we get in that area throughout the seasons. During the summer we line up containers of tomato plants and grow vegetables. In the winter? Well, the sun barely shines on the yard at all – see below. It would be an excellent spot for an ice rink.
The good news is that the other side of our house, facing south, is bathed in sunlight all winter. The low angle of the sun allows the rooms on that side to warm up nicely. Even the open porch can be quite pleasant on a sunny winter day, as long as there isn’t any breeze.
Seems like it’s going to be a long winter this year – we’re definitely off to a cold start. Perhaps we should test out the ice rink concept in January…