Snow melt wasn't the only source of upward pressure on the lake level. Around midweek, a steady overnight and well into the day storm pushed the level of Lucerne up almost half an inch.
On either side of the rain was sun. Late November sun. The kind of sun that kind of warms the ground, sort of can be felt on the skin, and unequivocally lifts sprits.
A few weeks ago it seemed likely that the lake would have its ice-in well before Thanksgiving. Now it's clear that that will not happen. It could still go before December, but with each passing sunny day, it's less and less likely. The deer hunt has not gone well for the Knott Lane camp. So far they've seen only does and spunky spike whose ducking and running resulted in bagging a Maple and Basswood (not good eating). Venison supplies are down to a few sticks of old sausage and possibly a package of mystery meat found at the bottom of a chest freezer. Other camps have been wildly successful putting smiles on the faces of those that like Breakfast with Bambi or dislike deer shaped dents imprinted onto their cars. There's still time to bag another one (if you are properly licensed) and enter the 2019 Lake Lucerne Ice-In contest.
-Nemo's still not swimming.
