Midwinter Cold Snap

Friday was the warm day. Got up to 27 and the Sun shone brightly for the first time in three or four days. Grey days that barely made the teens. Office time. Bureaucrats. Politics. Deadlines. Ick.......

Friday's last two hours of daylight were mine. I sneaked out and drilled two holes. I wanted a couple of big bluegills for the pan. Presently a couple of big bluegills found my spoon. Tasted of its wax worm embellishments, and crossed the iced barrier between water and sky.

Sunday was the cold day. Got up to zero and the sun shone brightly through wind borne veils of crystaline snow showers. Indoor home time. Kitchen aromas. Fireplace glow. Feather tic snug. Yum...........

Saturday's last two hours enabled a starter to grow.  Sunday morning the rest of the ingredients were added to the dough. I wanted a Ciabatta bread for the plate. Slowly a bubbling blob began to resemble not much more than the bowl in which it grew.  I figured I had blown this artisan bread thing. But once proofed and baked, it crossed the heated barrier between gooo and Ambrosia !

Forecast calls for 27 below tonight. The inverse of Friday ?
Think I'll stay inside for pan seared bluegill with Ciabatta. 

Day one.

Bright, fresh
New and clean
Perhaps even pristine.
It can't last, but it is very very good for today.
Happy New Year.

A little something for the gods......

Following the longest night of the year, the dawn weakly rose to the coldest temp so far this year. -7F.
Two fires are ignited as an annual homage to the ancient ancestors
One for the new daylight and one to hasten the second longest night toward the summer solstaice

The second fire is said to be accompanied by vodka
and drumming
and dancing
and toasts to deeds and dramas now past
and to the ghosts
of those we have loved
and those that are yet come

It is time to kindle and toast
 Na zdrowie !!

It's beginning to look a lot like Solstaice

Finally a little snow has fallen
Decoration for the holiday season
Rain preceded the snow

Ridiculous that it should rain near the winter Solstaice in Minnesota 
Oh well, another log on the fire
Another glacier gone

Tough bite

Clear. 22F.  SW wind @ 5mph
The lake is less rumbly this evening.
The fish are here but not real eager to bite.
First bluegills under early ice.

 

Filled with chironomid goodness.

                                    
                                    No wonder the light bite.

On the ice.

It is safe to be out now.
Six solid inches of ice are uniformly distributed atop the pond.

 

With temperatures in the teens, and only 2 inches of snow on the ice, the freezing process is in high gear. The boys and I head out and drill a few holes just before the daylight fails. The lake is noisy and alive - full of expansion music.
Slsssssss - aaaaaah aaah - slssssss- crick crick crick - aaaah - Boom ! Creeeeeekk - bBoom!
Water rises and falls in the holes with each new crack and quake.  The dogs look nervously at each other, at me, toward shore. The whole sheet of ice is on vibrate.  But then a crappie comes up the hole and the youngster is transformed into a dog possessed.
I unhook and drop the 9 incher back down the hole. I have made the dog insane ! A couple more bangs - bBaaaang - aaaaaah - errrrrrrr - clank ! Sounds like beating on a steel drum with a bat ! The spaniel bugs out for the shore.

Craaaaack - reeee reeeee reeeee- slllllsssss- errrrrr - bbBoom! 
No more bites.
The music too loud and sweet.

Oops !

It is perhaps a bit soon................

I don't see a pickup connected to this rig, but then that would be the less buoyant bit, wouldn't it.