Sunrise on Open Water

Well, we had our first "Spring" day yesterday. A high of 72 degrees. A nice break from winter. Spring comes in fits and starts in the Midwest. Lots of cold days to come--but also lots of sunshine. As a wise man once said, "It takes a Winter spent to truly appreciate the Spring."

Strangers Passing Through

We have two loons making themselves at home on the lake. We only enjoy them for a brief time. They like their water cold! They are on their way north. They are under the water as much as they are on top of it. You will seldom see them on shore as their bodies are so long--and their legs set so far back--that they can just barely walk on land. They don't seem to sing when they are in transit. Their call was one of the great memories of my fishing trips to Quebec--but there's not so much as a peep around Lake Manitou.

A note on the photographs of birds for this blog. They are off the internet. My peanut camera just can't do justice to the birds. Back in the old days I had a 500mm lens--and that just barely got the job done.

Of Open Water, Sandhill Cranes, and Swans

OK. Spring certainly isn't here yet. But today we have open water to the shore. It took a little persuasion with a sledge hammer here and there, but we now travel by boat and kayak.

The day prior I was greeted by a pair of Mute Swans just off the southwest side of the island. They were here the day before the lake froze--and they returned to say hello the day the lake opened. Soon they will be back to their more familiar haunts at the Manitou headwaters.

More amazing for us--the Sandhill cranes are loosing some of their shyness this year. Before now, I only saw them flying overhead, or standing at the headwaters of rain creek. Today, there were three cranes walking about the remains of the ice field, halfway between our island and Rose's English Cottage on the shore. To watch these birds take flight, is to see one of nature's marvels. How does a body that big ever get airborne! I am reminded of the military cargo planes lumbering off the runway at Travis air base. If you hear a steady warbling sound--look high up in the sky and you may catch a glimpse of them.

Keep the faith--Spring can't be far behind!

Twilight for the Ice

There is now a great pile of slush atop the ice pack that is Lake Manitou. Warm weather is forecast, and soon we will return to rippling waves of water. Here is a picture as the sun sets on the last of the winter's ice.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It's 16 below zero this morning. The sun is out in all its glory. At this temperature, and with the bright, bright sunlight, the super-chilled snow appears as if coated with a carpet of tiny diamonds. So beautiful to look at--though I think we'll postpone the morning walk a bit.

Jack Frost

Frosty has been busy lately. Here's a view through the upstairs' window. Jack doesn't like the thermopane on the main floor--but he has a ball upstairs.

OK--Humongous

I have an old sailing buddy who was fond of saying, "Life is a word-eating contest." On my earlier post you may have noticed that I said we never had humongous snow--just a lot of accumulation over winter. I stand corrected as of last Wednesday--as you can see. Here is a picture from Main Street in town.