The Calm Before The Cold

October 31st through November 6th, 2022

Lake Lucerne
Last week started off dry, sunny, and calm. High temperatures in the upper 60s°F gave the beginning of November a defiant feel. It's as if this month has little to no respect for Winter and is freely taunting the snow season. This certainly won't end well, but it's fun while it lasts.
Lake Lucerne
The lack of wind flattened the lake. A lack of skiers kept it flat.
Lake Lucerne
Occasionally, transient winds would create a few ripples. Even with the few lumps, Lucerne was the perfect playground for everything from hyper-powerful wake ships to paddle powered water craft. We lacked the former, so it was a paddling for us.
Lake Lucerne
Lucerne's water was super clear as always and mostly fish free.
Lake Lucerne
All during last week, the moon was fulling up nicely.
Lake Lucerne
Early in the evenings there was almost enough light left to ski by. There was certainly enough flat, but nobody acted on the footstocken call to glory. All the images captured were noted for their lack of wakes, sprays, and toes gliding just above the surface.
Lake Lucerne
That went double for the mornings.
Lake Lucerne
A majority of the milkweed pods exploded last week.
Lake Lucerne
The lack of wind had some grabbing a hand full or two of the fluff and tossing it into the air like some sort of Autumnal confetti.
Lake Lucerne
The squirrels were more active than ever.
Lake Lucerne
Their evil plan to empty bird feeders around the lake went well. It's a known internet fact that a squirrel can eat up to 10 times its body weight if it thinks that will piss you off.
Lake Lucerne
Near the weekend, the sky started to cloud over and the wind picked up.
Lake Lucerne
On Friday, two days of steady and occasionally violent rain filled the outdoors. The bar's power stayed on during the entire storm making it an ideal time to enjoy the north end's "Arcade Night".
Lake Lucerne
The lake dropped an inch and a half during October. The storm added that back in and then some.
Lake Lucerne
After the storm, the lawn lakes were back.
Lake Lucerne
Strong winds during and after the storm had a few fishing dock furniture out of the 45°F water.
Lake Lucerne
Many of us sacrificed a late season golf game to get in the last mowing of the year before the rain. That turned out to be a better move than planned. Putting the winterized pontoons back on the lawn tractor is a pain. That, and wearing a PFD while mowing is the kind of fashion statement that's not good for anyone. Before the rain, the Lucerne's level was found to be 1.5 inches down for October. Having the lake go up just before ice-in is uncommon, but if we get another storm like last week's, we'll be bucking that trend. That, of course, is assuming that the precipitation remains liquid. Two or three feet of snow won't do the lake level any favors until next May. Which reminds me, I'll try to get the ice-in contest up this week.


-Nemo: Summertime Skier, Fall Furniture Fisher, Internet Fact Maker-Upper.