Ken Crost Digital Fine Art

The Story

 

Usually during November here in the Lakes Region, we begin to see the start of winter creeping into our lives. But for some reason, this November was unusually warm. On November 30th we saw the high temperature reach 47 degrees Fahrenheit, way above our normal temperature. But then, just after midnight on December 1st, the winds started blowing from the north and picked up speed as the hours closed in on dawn. The sound of the wind storm sent visions of downed trees, and snow piled up against our cars. By the time I awoke at five in the morning, the temperature, as shown by our large outdoor thermometer, had plummeted to 10 below zero Fahrenheit, a drop of 57 degrees. My anemometer indicated winds of thirty miles per hour.

As a lover of the cold, I was excited to explore this sudden change in the weather. I put on my best cold weather gear and boots and headed out to see the effect the change had on our lake. Although the change brought in more winter like temperatures, only a few inches of snow covered the ground and the path I take to the lake. It took me about ten minutes to reach the edge of the lake and the sun was barely showing through the thick clouds that shrouded our small community. 

In just a few hours our lake was transformed into an icy wonderland. But for the unwary, danger lurked. Though the ice looked substantial, it was anything but that. Trying to cross out onto that thin veneer of ice would mean certain catastrophe. Luckily the vast majority of us who live here understand the danger and keep our distance from the new ice.

The green reeds of summer had been transformed into icy sentinels wedged into the now frozen water. But it will be a while before anyone will venture out on to the dangerously thin ice.