Snow, Ice, Sun~

 Did someone say it's December?  It is - the last week of ever shortening days & the first week of the winter season.  It's looked & felt like winter since November.  On the fifth - we received a few inches of snow.  With the cold nights, it's been on the ground since.

18th - Ice over the Marsh~

The mornings this week - have been stellar!  Blue, crisp skies & blazing sunshine.  By the warmest time of day, we're in the upper 40's & even 50 yesterday!  Most afternoons though, the clouds move in & the day turns gray in time for sunset.

Our prints~

   Nika & I have been walking on the ice.  I could almost skate!  But on Tuesday, we found the first crack.

The crack~

With my limited depth perception, it almost looked like a huge snake!

East~

 Everything was frozen right up to the rise that's between the marsh & the creek.

Stacking~

  Last Sat. Butch took the chain saw & cut into the three large dead-falls on the west hillside of the timber. The resulting limbs, branches & logs are mine to sort & stack. I found one stump that was rotten in the center & filled with a very ugly black bug type thing. They almost looked like ants, with wings. I tossed that log into the creek! Other dry logs were really pretty - almost bleached white. I should make something out of them.

Timber~

  I leave some debris on the ground to rot. I'm still collecting interesting trash too. From old style plastic hair rollers to a fireplace poker. As long as I don't run into a dead something - I'm fine.

Morning of the 19th

I was wearing down by Wed., but it's been so nice to be able to spend the days outside!  I miss those hours in the saddle & the mare that carried me...

North~

 The ground is frozen, but the top layer is saturated.  I slipped on the grass & the grass just came up with my boot.  It has No roots at all.  For now, I'm still leaving most of the Honeysuckle.  There's too much to tackle all at once & I'd like to replace it with something native.  I want to do more research before I buy plants.

20th - Signs up~

Butch has replaced the front pickets of the railing with wire & will do the ends too.  We also put up the signs that have been with us forever.

Today, we were only in the 30's with a good wind making it feel colder.  I've enjoyed the month so far, the nice weather has been such a bonus.  Soon Christmas will be upon us!