Sunday, December 20, 2015

December 20, 2015

It's nearly here, and there's little hope for a white Christmas this year.  The best we have mustered all season were a few snow squalls just yesterday, which at least gave a tiny taste of what it should be like In New Hampshire in late December.
Squall coming across Lake Wicwas

Just a taste, but at least it's white!
The weather has portrayed the lake in a wide variety of settings over the past few days, from the heavy fog of last week, to blustery squalls, to gorgeous calm and warmth.

Last week's fog
And the same spot, two days later

The clouds clearing

For a warm December sight

The bird feeders are still hidden in the house waiting for winter to tell the bears it's time to sleep.  It's always interesting how mother nature takes care of her own.  There may be little human-supplied food for the birds, but with no snow there is plenty of natural food for our feathered friends to find.  I watched a flock of chick-a-dees one morning - that would typically be visiting our feeder - uncovering plenty of small seeds among the exposed forest litter.

I know you're down there

Found it!

And more proof that the deer survived hunting season:  hoof prints on a neighbors beach.


All it takes is one cold night after a good rain to give birth to these beautiful little ice formations which emanate from the warm, saturated soil.


These curved crystals are about a half an inch long and grow right of pores in the soil, extracting ever more moisture from the ground, pushing the ice crystal farther and farther out.



The sun is now just about the lowest it ever gets in the sky;  the winter solstice occurs on Tuesday.  By Christmas the days will already be getting longer - next time I see you, we'll be on the other side!

The winter sun peeks through bare poles now that all the sails have been furled for the season

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