Yet Another Zombie Winter Embrace

Last week started off seasonably with Spring tromping its merry way through the northwoods and many taking off their hats. The ice on the lake was getting thinner and Lucerne's edges boasted bits of open water. There was even talk of golf. That changed mid week.

The early week highs in the low 50's°F and nightly lows in the 20's°F, made the maples active.

The run was so hard that we quickly ran out of jug space and filled a half dozen 55 gallon barrels.

With all that sap, the men were encouraged to keep the cookers burning all night. Those tasked with stoking the fires after mid-night were aided by the "Sap Boiling" Moon

The change started mid-week with a little rain.

Sometime during the night, the rain turned into snow. That, and the 14°F low, lead to a horrifically January like morning. Those that had taken off their hats put them back on.

Then came the wind. A steady 20 MPH breeze, with gusts much higher, danced snow devils all over the lake.

The maples stopped running, but the barrels still needed to be jugged and brought back to the cookers.

After opening the top and breaking through the ice, jugging barrels went quickly and with surprisingly little injury.

By the weekend all the sap was out of the woods and well on its way to syrup.

By the weekend, Zombie Winter's late season embrace had lessened, and the temperatures soared to just 5°F below normal.

And the maples started to run again., albeit not as hard as the week before.

During the weekend on the forest floor, small patches of Spring started to emerge from the dirt and snow.

The birds and fuzzies seem to be getting more active, too.

Last year, the South end of the lake got a few "Fish Sticks". This year, the North end of the lake got a few., too. This should make these areas on the lake a little better for fishing. The best spot for fishing on Lake Lucerne is Lake Metonga.

By the weekend, there was some un-snowy (pronounced "grassy") patches on some properties. To the best of our knowledge, nobody mowed.

On Sunday, there was enough open water in the northeastern corner to float a small boat.

At the end of the weekend, the sunset was accompanied by an ominous looking wall of weather.

The difference between the last two Horsemen of the Snowpocalypse, Zombie Winter and Silenced Spring, is ice-out. If ice still covers Lake Lucerne, a return of January after Winter has been declared dead is Zombie Winter. After ice-out, the return of drifts and snowballs is the last Horseman of the Snowpocalypse; Silenced Spring. With ice still covering the lake last week, this is just another manifestation of Zombie Winter. While this super expanded January can be a bit trying for those that don't like to heat their homes and enjoy tanning, it does extend the sapping season and makes those with May Ice-Out contest dates happy campers.

-Nemo should have included a few discrete June dates.

Yet Another Zombie Winter Embrace

April 11th through January 107th, 2022