Will Kidder

Snow banks are piled high around the lake. The last snowstorm covered most of the lake, but bottomless black ice shows itself in some windswept areas. There is nothing quite like venturing out on the frozen lake and “walking on water”! The Scotties race about, stopping to roll in windswept snow waves, then charging on in gay, joyous abandon.

Moon has smiled her lovely smile down on us each night, warming our hearts during this frigid cold. Bright sunny days have created blue ice and snow. Looking down from Mt. Sunapee, we can see that even the big lake is now frozen solid. Fern Frost blossoms on windowpanes, creating fantasy worlds of mythical birds, intricate mazes and wild icy seas.

So interesting watching lake ice form. The lake seems to grow tired of movement, becomes still, and silently drifts off to sleep under a silvery mantle. Snow falls, and she snuggles beneath a quilt of snowflake down.

It’s that time of year when it snows! We have had over a foot of fluffy, magical snow this week. All is calm, all is white. The lake is close to freezing. Our loons have flown, the mergansers have left, but large flocks of mallards remain, cruising about, coming ashore to feed on seeds fallen from bird feeders. Snow clings like cotton balls to spiny beech burs high in the trees.

A spectacular Super Moon graced us this week, bringing “the luster of midday” to our night sky. Clouds prevented us from seeing Super Moon rise in full splendor, although she later appeared overhead. The next night Moon rose out of the high forests, clinging to the trees before she gracefully floated on her way.

Snow has fallen! Looking up into the swirl of flakes that gather on our eyelashes and kiss our cheeks, our hearts are full of thanks for this simple, magical blessing...falling snow. With the coming of snow more feathered friends are frequenting the feeders and we give thanks for their presence. Chipmunk is still awake, filling his cheeks before scurrying back to his warm burrow.

November, quite suddenly, seems to have realized that she is November. Much colder temperatures have resulted, as well as some sleet and even a few snow flurries. Mornings dawn frosty crisp and hillsides are grays and greens, with the exception of an occasional flamboyant poplar tree, and the shiny bronze of ash and oak. Mallards cruise the lake, chatting and laughing.

Autumn brought us a rainy day this week. We have not had a rainy day in some time. We suddenly had to pause and do rainy-day type of things. As the clouds lifted, rainbows appeared and by the time the sun came out we realized that Autumn had been busily weaving more of her stunning tapestry across the hills. Too, ferns are browning up and winterberry is loaded with fruit.