Strange sounds in the air. This afternoon I am sure I heard sounds through the woods from Fish Hook Lake that sounded like ice cracking. They had the whale sound like nature. Then I heard one sound like that from Mud Lake. “Strange happenings” as Shemp said.
Mud Lake is now iced over. It shows a full light cover of snow on top. One odd area in the bay shows some marks like someone dragged some thing , but the ice just has to be thin there.
Winter has come. The lake has been slowly gaining its ice cover. The water lily bay has had ice for days, then along the north shore. With the big dip coming this week, the full freeze of the lake should come.
Some 15 swans passed through the other day. They were in the weeds likely gathering to go South. Some geese have hung around with them.
The first snow cover came and went, but now the temperatures tell us the snow is here to stay. That will keep the temperatures down, too. Today’s storm has the chance of only lightly contributing to things, but the forecasts do vary.
The red squirrels have a number of piles of pine cones built for the winter. There has been some gathering of the geese on the lake, but nothing like the giant gathering before they leave for the South, and the leaves are down. Sure looks like winter, and on days like today, it sure feels around the corner.
As I write, it is snowing a bit more than an hour to the North, and tonight the local flakes might gather briefly. The stiff winds have been of some help. Yesterday the leaves were blowing themselves into the woods, eliminating the mulching with the tractor. The birches are totally bare. The tamaracks found a few miles away had needles last week, and they still might. Will check tomorrow. Plans are to get some planted here so we can extend the colored season as they turn after the rest.
As with the squirrels gathering their nuts, so the swimming season has come to an end in Mud Lake. The water never did warm as is normal this year, now it has chilled. The docks are coming in and craft have been put away. The water lilies are slowing dying and then sinking to the bottom.
Of all things, some snow was mixed with rain yesterday.
The yard has now picked up several piles of pine cones gathered by red squirrels. Is Mud Lake like Camelot and the pine cones fall in neat piles? We checked this out with a DNR/park agent at Itasca State Park. Red squirrels like to gather pine cones in piles. At first we suspected a neighbor was trying to play a joke on us as these a;appeared,. but no. The squirrels do this. We do not know if size and number indicates degree of cold expected, or just good pickings in pine cones, but these are big and located near trees that will more clearly mark them.
The signs of fall are clear. Being Post-Labor Day weekend is one, but the trees have lost their summer tone, the geese are in v-formations, and the temperatures just have that fall cool to them. The odd tree has a full turn of color, and some may just be dry or ill. The larger groupings of geese are not around yet, but the groups in v-formation are getting bigger. They remain in the dozen or so range. The wind and coolness are heavy with hints of fall.
Of note is the rareness of the loons. They have been around making their calls all summer, including a 3 in the morning, but now seem silent.
