Our ice went out on Saturday night.
When I woke up yesterday and peered out the window, I found open water as far as I could see down the lake.
I've never been around for ice out before and I'm not sure what I was expecting. The tinkling of magic bells? A chorus of fairies heralding in the spring? The ice didn't even makes its usual groans and cracks this year as it went. Instead, it just disappeared.
Honestly, I kind of miss the ice. I may not love winter as a whole, but ice and I are good friends. (Well, maybe let's exclude black ice . . . .) Since this winter was without writing dates with the neighbor, I didn't make regular treks down the lake this winter and I feel like I took this year's ice for granted and let it go under-appreciated. Our rapid thaw this month meant the ice basically dissolved in front of our eyes and we never reached the point where the snow on top of the ice melted down to a crust as hard and sturdy as a sidewalk. No long rambles down the lake this March on top of "
sugar cookie" ice like I'd hoped.
Still, between
skating on the lake in December, a hike down the lake where we discovered recent
wolf tracks, and a couple ice fishing excursions, it was a lovely ice season while it lasted:
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| December 2011 |
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| January 2012 |
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| February 2012 |
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| March 18, 2012 |
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| March 25, 2012 |
Well, I am not big on Winter nor on ice, but hey, even for me following your adventures of living and writing up North; find this Winter rather unusual. And ice disappearing with the groans and cracks is rather creepy.
ReplyDeleteits funny, most years I wouldn't be able to stand looking at snow and ice in march, but since we had pretty much none this year to speak of, its so beautiful to me! Don't bring this up next march though haha
ReplyDeleteWell it looked pretty while it lasted! :D
ReplyDeleteThere usually are tinkling bells! The small chunks of ice sound like that when the big sheets push against them, and the chunks look exactly like those glass candle holders from Finland.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of the ice! I would have loved a little ice this year - we normally have one or two small snows here in South Carolina during a winter, but this year we've only had a handful of nights below freezing. It's been the mildest winter I've ever experience. Envy your ice and snow, but have also enjoyed Spring like days all winter.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a bit of a metaphor for life---- here for a season, gone in a moment.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos!!!!!!
Amazing pics!! I can't believe how much snow you have. I feel like we didn't have a winter at all.
ReplyDeleteIce out in Spring is an amazing thing. One day there is a sheet of ice flowing on the lake and the next time you look at it...it's gone. The whole sheet sinks down to the murky deep. Truly amazing!
ReplyDeleteI really cant say I relate on this post because honestly I HATE the winter and everything associated with it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Thx for stopping by my blog. :) I'm an avid reader of yours. This is a beautiful description of the Ice season. --I've never been in such a wintery place. But reading your words and seeing your photos helps me imagine what it would be like.
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