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	April 6th through 12th

Last week started with melting snow, running water, and scarred lake ice. High temperatures moved South of 50°F and some nights did not drop below freezing. The end of the tapping season was being discussed among the sugarmen and the first lawn mowing was in sight. That was last Monday. Six days later, it all changed.

Early in the week, the lake area got rain. I wasn't a lot, but even a few tenths of an inch will melt away the remaining snow and hasten ice-out.

The wet and windless days gave the lake an ethereal beauty beyond its normal magnificence.

The wet and melt has pushed creeks up to a level deep enough for some to swim.

By mid-week, yard puddles were ready for piers, boats, and bouys.

Going into the weekend, yard puddles were shrinking, lawns were greening up, and sunsets were warm and inviting.

On Friday or Saturday the egg in the eagle's nest we've been watching transformed into a wee, gray fuzzy.

The warmer weather slowed the taps, but they still ran.

The snow in the woods is all but gone. The sugarmen agreed that it was time to swap the feet for wheels on the sap hauler..

Due to the collecting schedule, the swap was put off until Sunday.

On the weekend, after it was confirmed that Lake Lucerne was still ice locked, we turned our lens on other local lakes.

Just to the East of Lucerne, it looks like Devils Lake had its ice-out on Saturday, April 11th.

A little farther to the East, Lakes Wabikon and Riley still have ice.

Metonga's ice is still there, but it's looking a little stressed.

By sunset on Saturday, we took advantage of a still evening to get an image for this week's summary page. This was planned to be the final image barring any better picture or notable event on Sunday.

It started on Sunday morning with a few flakes.

Then, a few more.

The wind picked up. The snow got heavy. The word went out. Button up the house! Hide the children! Spay the cat! ZOMBIE WINTER has shuffled back into the northwoods.

This about sums it up.

The 20 mph wind that was gusting to over 40 mph kept us from getting a drone image on Sunday evening. This one will have to do. Currently, lawns are about a foot from the first mowing, roads are snow covered, and the open edges around Lucerne have closed up. ZOMBIE WINTER tends to do that. It has come to our attention that there is some confusion differentiating between the last two Horsemen of the Snowpocalypse. ZOMBIE WINTER is defined as a return of Winter after Winter has been declared dead but before ice-out on Lake Lucerne. Silenced Spring, the fourth Horseman of the Snowpocalypse, blankets lawns with a thick coat of white <i>after</i> ice-out. Going forward, it looks like we're in for several days of deep snow, high winds, and record breaking cold. Boo! After that, it looks like Spring will return as if nothing happened. Huzzah!<br><br>-Nemo rescheduled his tee time.

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