Ice Out
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THE DAY THE ICE WENT OUT

Ice-In - Looking north towards cove

(April 16 '05)

It was euphoric for me, signaling the end of a long winter….a winter with too much snow, way below zero temperatures, and 40-50 mile an hour winds.  Oh, how I coveted Spring.  This Maine winter became very close to being miserable.  I suppose the upside of these dubious conditions was that the lake made thirty inches of ice this year…more than enough for the winter sports enthusiasts.  My husband had a chance to  skate his heart out and he thoroughly enjoyed it.    

Ice-Out - Looking wouth from Barry'scamp

(April 17, '05)

 

Ice-Out - Same View

(April 17, '05)

Mike Shapiro tows floating docks back to shore.

Finally, at the end of the first week in April, the ice showed signs of thawing. It gradually  darkened and  began “puddling,” looking much like the surface of the moon, as seen from earth, of course. By the 15th of April the north end of the lake held numerous large and small ice floes, but a fair amount of solid ice still remained at the south end.  Nevertheless, in spite of the lingering ice, Mike Shapiro could contain himself no longer and became the first person to put his float out on the lake this year.  (See Picture.)   As the ice cover was gradually melting its way to oblivion and leaving areas of  open water, we watched as the geese and ducks returned to spend another summer here.  The downside of hosting these birds is their inferior hygiene etiquette, which can cause some rather nasty problems.  (Perhaps a subject for another time.)   Within the week we were delighted to see a pair of elegant loons meandering and fishing in front of our house.  We hoped they would decide to nest on this end of the lake this year, but it was not to be.  Though they were here for several days, they returned to their old stomping grounds in the “south” as soon as the ice was out down there. 

On the Saturday that Mike put in his float, we watched  two gorgeous eagles sitting on a nearby ice floe.  They situated there, side by side, for quite a while, looking much like Heckyl and Jeckyl.  A couple of cigars seemed appropriate.    

Early on sunny mornings, when the lake is like glass, it is breathtaking to see the water reflecting the clouds above and all other things around it.  It is renewing to watch this cycle repeat itself as the sun warms and the rains arrive to open once again this comfortable place where we can dock our boats and our bodies and renew our souls---at least for a while. We have much to be thankful  for.       

God bless our troops, their families, our country, and its leaders.