Ice At Last

The good news? We have ice! Last night, the temps were predicted to drop below zero, but the wind was roaring outside of our window. Earlier in the evening, I had been out hanging some Christmas lights, and listening to the clatter. Little chunks of broken ice were rattling against each other, and bumping up on the shore. No way did it sound like the lake would calm enough to freeze.

But sometime in the wee hours, the wind did die down, so that when we got up, there it was....A nice covering of ice. It squeaked in just under the wire of my "first two weeks in December" time frame, given that today is the 14th. I opened the window to listen to the complete silence that I so enjoy when we first freeze. It's good.

The temp was about nine below, warmer than the predicted lows of minus twenties. It will likely be colder in the mornings now. I have noticed a bit of a lake effect for us here on the south shore, when we still have open water. It does seem to keep us a few degrees warmer. That will even out now.

I made sure to refill the bird feeder last evening, as I knew the chickadees and nuthatches would be fast and furious for food in the early morning cold. I also knew that I would not want to be as fast as they are, in getting out there to fill it up. It's much too cozy by the fire in the early light, to even consider going outside at nine below!

Yesterday we collected a couple of inches of fresh snow, although a lot less was predicted. That is my favorite time for the weather forecasters to be wrong---rather like the Monopoly card that says "Bank error in your favor!" The trails are beautiful, and I've been hearing some good early skiing reports. Perhaps this weekend, I'll steal a moment to test it out myself. It will be a busy weekend, as Paul's band plays at the Gunflint Tavern on Saturday night. Naturally we'll be down there to hear them in their Grand Marais debut. If you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop on by! The music starts at 8 p.m.