Mud Pond, frozen over from shore to shore
Mother Nature must have heard my prayer. After a whole week indoors preparing for and enjoying the holiday, I just HAD to get outside today, and she gave me the perfect day for doing so: sunny and calm, with frost in the morning but the promise of warming through the day. Up early, I hurried up to Mud Pond in Moreau, hoping to catch the curling petals of frozen vapor on Frostweed stems, but too late, the plant has spent its vapor supply, so I missed it this year. (For photos of what it looked like last year, click here.) What I did find, though, much to my surprise, was the season's first ice on the pond -- all across the pond, from shore to shore, with crinkled plates of thin ice where waves had lapped against the beach.
I walked around the pond and through the woods to Moreau Lake and found that the ice was also covering the back bay of the lake -- except where beavers had kept open a channel by swimming again and again from their lodge to the woods.
So winter is definitely on its way. But nobody told these baby St. Johnsworts, so tiny and pretty and pink, sprouting all over the muddy flats at the edge of Mud Pond. They look so fragile, but I imagine they will winter over quite happily under the snow, then get a head start on the growing season come spring.
5 comments:
Delightful pictures and observations! I drove through the Adirondacks this past Saturday (when it was snowing) and Sunday (when it was cold but clear). The small ponds were pretty much frozen over and even Tupper Lake had ice extending out quite a distance. Thank you for providing a view into the Moreau area.
I never heard of frostweed. I'll be off to do some research on it, so that I can, hopefully, catch it next year, if it grows around here.
Don't you just love the anticipation of Winter? To go out and see all of the signs that it is getting closer and closer. Then, one day, you look out and the world has turned white. Oh, I can't wait. It's late coming here, and I'm getting impatient.
Nice ice! None on my Lake yet, but it's snowing right now so it should be coming soon.
oh my I am away (in Vermont) and missing the action!
I've seen some edge ice over here but tonight it is warm enough to rain...
Hopefully the Big Lake will wait a while to begin freezing over, and then we can walk there soon, to see the ICE BUBBLES this year !
Hello Bill, thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. You and your dogs would just love running along the beach at Moreau Lake State Park.
Yes, Louise, I do love winter snow. But I could wait until Christmas Eve. Holiday preparations are easier on dry roads! But our winters of late have been lacking in deep snow, which is a bit worrisome. Regarding
Frostweed, look for it in dry sandy areas that get plenty of sun. It has a pretty yellow flower that blooms in June and again in late summer.
Hello greentangle! I would guess your winters up in Duluth get plenty cold, so even Lake Superior freezes over eventually. We're a strange breed, aren't we, we folks who love snow and ice!
Hi Sue, don't worry about missing the ice. It's nearly 50 and raining today, so that new ice is doubtless long gone. For sure, though, let us go seek out ice bubbles when you get home.
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