Precipice of Deep Winter

November 28th through December 4th

Last week started off wet. There was a mid-April feel in the air along with a bunch of rain. The rain eventually stopped, but the clouds remained all week.

How much rain? Just over an inch! All that wet took out most of the snow and filled the creeks.

And the lake level went up! It climbed to one inch above the nail and was still going up when the nail pier left the water for the Winter.

The rain and melting snow have greened up lawns around the lake. If this continues, a rare and unwelcome December mowing will be added to most task lists.

Lake Lucerne is remarkably clear. If we would have had a bit of sun, this image might have included a visible crib or three.

A pair of river otters have been weaselling up the North end of the lake all week.

By the end of last week it got colder. There's currently about two inches of snow next to the flowing streams.

No ice yet, but the mid-April feel is gone. The forecast for next week includes a lot of ugly, deep Winter cold. There will be ice before next weekend. Will it cover the lake? Maybe. It's getting really cold.<br><br>-Nemo: Shovel, Shiver, Repeat...