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	December 9th through 15th, 2019

We got a warmless sun set in a blue sky and almost a foot of new snow last week. The snow didn't come in a single lump, but rather in several small to moderate events. Strong winds brushed much of the white off the lake and seemed to deposit it on local walks, roads and driveways.

In between daytime blue and anytime snow, clear nights were lit by a very full moon.

Just after mid-week, that night sky was so bright you could almost see blue between the stars and planets.

Maple syrup season is around a dozen weeks away. It's too early to mark trails, place buckets, or hole trees, but it's the ideal time to join feet to ATV.

We'll be breaking trail to the upper sugarbush in around 10 weeks.

The snow is getting uncommonly deep for this time of year. The wind has lowered the amount on the lake to about 6 inches with less in many spots. Lawns and unplowed driveways have over 2 feet. The sides of the roads have more.

Much more. Mailboxes are becoming lumps and road signs are almost halfway to their lumpification.

Deep snow can be hard on the local wildlife. The snow is not yet deep enough to keep hungry snowplows from browsing the roadsides and feasting on mailboxes and their roots. Still, we're not sure is the DNR's policy of leaving the twisted plastic and metal carcasses on the side of the road to feed smaller creatures (snowblowers and shovels) is sound.

Roads have been in better shape. That didn't hinder many of the locals who seemingly failed to notice.

It's harder to ignore the state of Knott Lane, especially when having to maneuver around very large, very stuck trucks.

Late in the week, several low clouds crashed into and condensed upon treetops in what could best be described as a faux ice-storm. Next to no ice-storm, that's the best kind.

Under a few inches of snow cover, the lake ice is sort of 6 inches thick. There's about 4 inches of strong ice topped with an inch of water and then an inch of weak ice. When walking on the lake, the top weak layer gives way and feet stop on the bottom layer. This gives the unsettling impression of falling through the ice with every step.

That did not stop some very determined/crazy snowmobilers from zooming down the lake on Sunday. The canals they cut into the first layer froze up by sundown.

The Second Horsemen of the Snowpocalypse, January, has shown up early this year. We've never avoided this particular apogean rider, and we probably never will. Last year, January arrived after Christmas and stayed around until almost March. We were hoping for a more traditional 31 day visit this time, but January's early arrival coupled with its tendency to freeze around until February, has many stocking up on propane and soup. With the negative aspects of January also comes some positive characteristics; Enough snow for the 29th Annual Lake Lucerne Bottle Rocket War, sledding is great exercise, the feet are already on the ATV, and tee times are plentiful.<br><br><br>-Nemo predicts a white Christmas.

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