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Deep Winter III: The Deepening

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January 13th through 19th, 2025

Last week started off cold with single digit highs (°F) and sub-zero lows (again °F). Then there was a bump of "heat" with a high just above freezing. Finally, the weekend brought back the Deep Winter we've all come to know and loathe with its sub-zero highs (°F) and unspeakably chilly lows. Early in the week, before the chilly horror that was to come, we hatted up and auged a hole in the lake to check the ice. There was just under a foot of very clear, very cold ice covering Lucerne. Just before last week's celebrated warm bump, it snowed. We ended up with around 2 inches. We need more. After a few hours, the snowy event ended with a grand sky clearing. After the snow and before the bone chilling cold, the site of the 34th Annual Lake Lucerne Bottle Rocket War was surveyed and graded. The snow and lake ice are perfect for great forts separated by 65 feet of traumatizingly smooth lake ice. Late in the weekend came winter's denouement. Its sub-zero-ness garnished some of the Bar's less energy efficent windows with icy fractals of frost. You know it's cold when birds plop down in the snow rather than stand in the cold. When not pooping up decks, the north end's turkeys are now blocking driveways. Whether messing up decks, blocking roads, or demanding a corn tribute, we can't stay mad at them. Look at that punim. On Sunday, after over 24 hours and counting of negative (°F) temperatures, we were curious about how much additional ice was on the lake since the last check. There were hats, gloves, and boots involved. There was a gain of about an inch of the hard stuff in the 5 days between measurements. Stress cracks in the surface are both plentiful and a little unnerving. Despite the fissures, we're pretty sure the ice is thick enough to support the most magnificent of ramparts. Construction begins Wednesday. Deep Winter, the most cold and despised sub-season of winter, is peaking but is also almost over. In just a week or so, winter's last sub-season, Thaw, begins. Before the end of Deep Winter, there's the Annual Bottle Rocket War. The seminal event of the frost season has kicked off with the surveys, estimates, and utility plans finished. Fort foundations are to be sintered next Wednesday. The main event is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 PM and will end about an hour later with a surrender and award ceremony. After that, Bactine, Ibuprofen, and tourniquets for the defeated. Glory and maybe a little tinnitus for the victors. Lastly, the consumption of dubious yet well garnished concoctions for all.<br><br><br>-Nemo's looking forward to spring.

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