The temperature dropped down into the 30’s overnight. When I woke in the morning, the sun was trying to break through the fog and steam that was coming up off the lake. The air was quiet, without a breeze, but it was filled with the sound of birds – blue jays, robins, woodpeckers, geese, ducks, and loons. It was an early, chilly, and beautiful beginning to a sunny and warm day.
Wisconsin
The end of a spring day
Spring arrived quickly in the past week. There were hints of green showing up in the trees and the grass. The ice moved off the lake and the open water was an invitation for geese, ducks, loons, eagles, and the people wanting to fish. It was a flurry of activity all generated by the unofficial end of winter. By early evening it was quiet and peaceful again. A light rain shower had moved through the area, the sun was beginning to set, and the lake had calmed. And as if to punctuate the end of a delightful spring day, a rainbow appeared in the sky and was reflected in the still of the water below.
Cusps of seasons and days
The cusps of seasons and days can often hold tension and beauty. We woke to the sound of thunder as a storm was starting to roll through, yet the eastern horizon held a hint of color. As the rain started to come down, I could see the droplets hitting the open water. Further out on the lake was the edge of the black ice that was starting to go out, and on the opposite shore was the white ice and snow that hadn’t thinned yet. It was a wonderful experience – both visual and auditory. The loons are back in the area, and the geese, ducks, and swans were all contributing to the soundtrack.
In my own life there is a change too, as I retired from my corporate job and am transitioning to the adventures I’ve been looking forward to all these years. I began this blog in January of 2009 with the purpose of sharing the beauty of my world and to give me the incentive to photograph each week. And what an amazing journey it has been — so many sights, so many surprises, and so much to see! My plan is to continue this blog however my posts may not be quite as consistent in timing. I hope you will continue along with me and share in my upcoming adventures.
The start of a spring thaw
We are seeing the start of our spring thaw. Warmer temps and bright sunshine have had a significant impact on our snow pack. Slowly we are seeing brown lawns reappear and some garden beds have small green shoots near the ground. The lakes have a much longer way to go before they are clear of ice. Gradually the ice near the shoreline goes out, but still the lake has a good 12 inches of ice. The snow on the surface has become mushy and uneven, and eventually will melt completely. The silence of winter is also giving way to the sounds of spring. When I walked out onto the lake I could actually hear the snow melting, and high overhead the Canada geese, the ducks, the swans, and the sandhill cranes were all calling and honking.
Sunrise and ice
The dawn was cold and crisp. Although the temperatures have been above freezing during the day, they still dip into the teens and twenties at night. The multiple inches of snow on the lake have melted and frozen many days in a row, and what snow remains is only an inch or two deep on the lake. The sunrise was an explosion of color greeting the day, and some of those brights were reflected in a portion of snow-free ice on the lake. I am always energized after sharing in the beauty of a dawn like this.
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