Cold Water Week

It's been a cold Spring. As if to underscore the lack of heat, a flock of geese, belatedly heading North, have been honking up the lake this week.

The trillium are nearing the end. Some still have whiteness but most have turned purple and wilty.

The cool, wet weather is evidently good for ferns. They're everywhere. The forest floor is thick with 'em.

The birds have been very active as of late. We've personally seen blue ones, yellow ones and furry ones. What the furry ones lack in flight capability they make up for in appetite.

The lake is cold. The temperature of the water on the north end varies from 59°F to 63°F depending on the wind. Some have still managed to introduce ski/kneeboard/wakeboard/barefoot to lake. Most of them were wearing wet/dry suits and all of them were cold.

It seemed like it rained a lot last week but all we got was a lousy four tenths of an inch. Better than nothing but not as good as hoped. The lake level fell about a half an inch.

Over the past decade or so since we have been observing such things, the lake level usually peaks in June. Lake Lucerne lost a half an inch last week. This does not bode well for the rest of 2013. The lake has gone up during wet Julys and Augusts in the past, but more often than not it drops. Let's hope for a wet July, August and rest of June. The bird feeder eating bear was quiet this week. Nobody on the north end of the lake reported eaten feeders, garbage cans, gardens or skis. Maybe the lite rain dampened its appetite or maybe it moved on to other protein. Whatever the cause of bruinlessness, it's nice.

-Nemo's mowing the lawn between ski runs.

Cold Water Week

June 2nd through 9th, 2013