January 20, 2019: Upside Down Trees

Many will think we're crazy, but this is why we crazies love New Hampshire in the winter - fabulous cobalt blue skies one day, and a good nor-east blizzard the next.

Page Pond Community Forest at Barnard Ridge Road

I took a walk in Page Pond Community Forest with a friend on one of those blue-sky days, and it was just stunning.  The dazzling white fields of snow guarded by unrelenting stone walls, crisp trunks of mature hardwood trees standing in stark contrast against that infinite indigo sky - it's the stuff of fairy tales and postcards.

Looking south over the Page field towards the Belknap mountains

The blue skies were part of a blast of cold air that was long enough to finally let the last bit of Lake Wicwas freeze over, the stretch by the outlet.

That shiny black is new ice

The late freeze was aided by a strong current due to high water levels in Wicwas and all the lakes and rivers.  Lake Winnipesaukee was still eight inches above normal seasonal level as of the first of the year.   But, good news:  The big lake is frozen over - Winnipesaukee ice-in was declared on January 14th, and bob houses have already appeared on Meredith Bay.

Civilization is starting to move onto the bay

The Alton Bay Runway has enough ice - 10 inches - to allow operation, and they have plowed the airstrip.  They are now waiting for FAA approval, and hope to start operations next week.  All signs look good for all of this year's winter events.  Mark your calendars:  Pond Hockey is February 2&3, the Meredith Fishing Derby is February 9&10, and the Sled Dog Championship is February 16&17.

Around the lake there's been some good skiing and snowshoeing, and I've seen lots of tracks from people out enjoying the sights.  And there are always strange and interesting sights to see, including this new one I've never encountered.  Have you ever seen a tree growing a new stem from the bottom of its trunk?

This was good for a double take - I wasn't sure I was really seeing what I thought I was.  This red maple had blown over a year or two ago, I remember seeing it previously.  But now, a new stem is growing out of the root ball, from the bottom!

Now exposed to the sun, facing the lake, it decided the best way to continue its survival was to push out new growth from below.  Nature, through the lessons of trial and error over the eons, is ingenious in the ways it has found to survive.

This post is little later than usual.  On a snow day, the question for me - play first or work first - is usually simple:  the work will still be there once the fun is done, but fresh tracks go fast.  So today started with skis, ended with shovels.

Oh, and a football game too.  Another Superbowl game coming up for New England - Go Pats!