Out Like a Lion?

March winds—ice-breaking weather, with a ripping north blow, heavy gray clouds, and snow squalls. No matter to the rhubarb, however, as it likes spring weather. Clouds blown away by evening.

The green manure seeded in the garden has yet to show any enthusiasm. I was thinking a touch of rain might work the seeds in, but no rain since planting except for last night’s shower, which did nothing. Looks likeI might need to rake seed in some more, since the neighborhood birds are miffed that the feeders are down.

Morning helping—hanging with the boys. We are getting to really know each other. Evening devoted to basketball.

Open Water...

…and spring peepers, just two days after ice out. Hardy little animals.

While Sue was helping out in Oconomowoc, I worked on converting the replacement trailer into something useful for an iceboat.

On a slightly different note: we received our Kagawong cottage homeowner insurance policy renewal notice today. No mention of excessive snow, but a line item called “Cannabis Endorsement Coverage.” Not sure what’s included in that one.

Dinghy Done...

 ...and up and out of the basement. 

Turned out pretty well I think, though the proof will be when she gets her bottom wet.

Most of the day spent at Victoria Lane, as Bri and Renee are off to Barcelona, Spain. While I did get to spend some good time with the boys, I rather lucked out in taking the older girls bicycle shopping on a lovely spring day at a shop right along the Glacial Drumlin State Trail. All three of us got to take bikes for a long test ride, with me on an E-bike, don’t you know, something I’ve long wanted to try. Ellie, considering the proximity of her birthday, ended up with a suitably-sized gear bike (21 gears) equipped with disc brakes. Maddie’s birthday is in September and she is homing on on what kind of vehicle she would want. Becca, poor kid, has lots of lightly used bikes at her disposal. Meanwhile, I’m thinking an E-bike might be a marvelous thing in two or three years.

Mimi got the more difficult task, but then, about 5:30, Dawn (Yaya) arrived, and then the ratio was improved to 2 grandmas per five kids. These 2 grandmas are gong to have an interesting time the next 5 days. Holy, moly.

Back To Spring...

...where the ice is gone and the only remaining snow consists of a few dark piles sheltering in the shade. Husky warm wind Marching up from the south. 

But on Manitoulin, as this photo illustrates, winter still causing problems.  

North Woods Day

Chipping ice, cleaning closets, hiking to the point, sitting in front of the fire. 

Lac du Flambeau Birthday Party

Still winter but very nice up in the north woods.  

Pelicans In The Farm Fields

Or what were, in drier times, farm fields.  Big, low-lying fields adjacent to the Rock River, on the outskirts of Fort.

White pelicans, which have, in the past decade, begun reappearing in Wisconsin. This flock of maybe a dozen birds is probably on its way to Horicon Marsh or Green Bay. Not sure what they are eating here as the water is only half a foot deep.

The in-town part of Fort is also experiencing high water—but still about 3 feet below the record flood.

Sandhills...

...all around, in the air and on the ground. Many other species, too (redwings, killdeer, and the like)—enjoying sun and warmth.  

Pax, washed and combed (after months of neglect), now has the mane of a lion and the wool of a sheep. With a little shearing he could contribute to a very nice cardigan. Furthermore, he is letting us know that he has had enough of the indoors—and while not demanding a walk, he is emphatically requesting to be outside.

We got to watch Ellie play in her second-ever volleyball match, and that was fun. We had planned to head up to the Janowiec cabin after that, but held turned back due to report so frozen pipes and septic problems.

Nice Spring Day

Projects and errands and—dog washing. Pax is now a wooly fluffball, in need of shearing.

This afternoon to an open house for a neighbor down the street who is running for municipal judge. After that, out for fish with two other neighbors across the street. That followed by sequence.

My bracket is badly busted. And the Mueller Report is out, whatever that means.

Mary Poppins

Full scale, full throated,  all-out musical production of the play presented by the third and fourth graders at Katy and Will’s elementary school. Sets , costumes, props, lighting, and lots of music. Quite incredible. Katy was bot a statue and a ballet dancer.

Equinox, Super Moon,

First Day of Spring, and Sue’s birthday. 

Even some snowdrops and squill. Unfortunately, the moon not visible through heavy clouds and light rain.

The Season Advances

Snow remnants shrinking.  Flood water receding. Days getting longer. Basketball brackets filled out.

Where’s Paxton?

Lots of sandhills overhead, and, from the sound of things, on the ground.

Redwing Blackbirds...

...and maple syrup on the driveway.  And, a nice bike ride. Spring is in the air.

Blackbirds here (at least a few) even though most non-flowing water is still frozen.

Here, ice is on the move.

That’s It For This Season

Bri lost his protest, but the verdict was rendered by a kangaroo court and will be appealed. As a newly elected member of the INCA Board he plans to work on professionalizing protest procedures.

Shortly after noon, all boats, trailers, and then people, were off the ice, and not a moment too soon.

And, of course, earlier in the day, there was Tony’s adventure—a faultily installed pin fell out of his steering mechanism during one high speed race, leaving him with no way to steer and thus no way to stop. He had to climb out of the cockpit and, as a human sea-anchor, drag behind the boat to bring it under control.

Everyone’s looking forward to next year. What a sport.

~~~~~~~
In remembrance of poet W.S. Merwin:

Variation on a Theme
W.S Merwin
Thank you my life long afternoon
late in this spring that has no age
my window above the river
for the woman you led me to
when it was time at last the words
coming to me out of mid-air
that carried me through the clear day
and come even now to find me
for old friends and echoes of them
those mistakes only I could make
homesickness that guides the plovers
from somewhere they had loved before
they knew they loved it to somewhere
they had loved before they saw it
thank you good body hand and eye
and the places and moments known
only to me revisiting
once more complete just as they are
and the morning stars I have seen
and the dogs who are guiding me

A Day to Remember, or A Day of Infamy

Jumping Jehoshaphat.  Race two of the Nite Nationals and Bri t-boned another boat and pretty much cut it in half. Everyone okay. Mr. T-bone protested Bri, and then Bri protested him back. Bri will win.

With his boat out of service (significant but not major damage) Bri drove to Whitewater to retrieve Nite #300 so that he would have a boat to sail on Sunday. And, as he was pulling into the launch site back at Lake Kegonsa,, the axel on that boat’s trailer broke. And, at the big dinner tonight, Bri is being elected to the position of Secretary of the International Nite Class Association (which is then followed by the positions of vice-commodore, and commodore).

Meanwhile Katy’s dance troupe won Platinum at a major competition, while Will visited here—keeping Mimi and me busy most of the day.

High Hopes

The Nite Nationals have been called on, on Lake Kegonsa, just south of Madison. Early start tomorrow, so many boats arriving and setting up this afternoon. But conditions are bad. Ice pure slush, at least near shore, and the on-ramp very tenuous—and, of course, the on-ramp is also the off ramp.

With the help of other would-be sailors Bri and I pushed the tandem trailer onto what could be called ice and set up 351 and 165. I decided against launching 300. For me, discretion became the better part of valor.

Thirty boats, or more, have signed up, so it could be chaos at the ramp early tomorrow. I’m good with not being part of it, though I am looking forward to stopping by to see how things go. While hoping for the best, my prediction is one slow first race and then unsailable stickiness ever after. And, of course, three races need to be sailed to complete a regatta.

Sometimes it’s good to be older, and possibly (though not necessarily) wiser.

Two Boats

Soft water and hard water.  The dinghy got its bottom painted, and the iceboat came out of cold storage because, surprisingly, the Nite Nationals have been called on. (Note: I plan to be involved but not to race. I could sail one or two races; but three, four, or more are more than I can handle, and if you don’t race all the races you end up at the bottom of the standings, and that is not exactly where you want to be.)

Above, the flood continues. Knee deep at the skate park.

Above, bottom painted. Below, iceboat getting ready.

I had the iceboat opened up and airing out in the balmy sunshine until the rain came and a little thunder thundered. The mini storm was the advance edge of the strong cold front—and it is once again windy and cold. (But that could be good for the regatta.)

I Heard a Robin

Yesterday, too, but I didn’t want to jump a claim.  Today for sure, but no visual yet. It seems early, but with all the melting, patches of bare ground are beginning to appear.

A little rain overnight, and continued warmth, leading to lots of runoff. The creekside path is flooded out, looking more than ankle deep in places.

Big Melt

Hardly anything more interesting than watching water. Minor topographic divides, and within inches the flow can move in opposite directions, but always finding a way down. Good fun, trying to think like water.

Dinner out and then Sequence in with across-the-street neighbors, now that Jane is home form the hospital and doing well. Guys won three of five.

Ten Million Silver Lizards...

 ...requiring creepers on the morning walk but only boots on the afternoon hike.

The last job on the dink prior to painting. Time, perhaps, to think about oars.

I know I’ve posted this before, but at this time of year I can’t help it.

Hillside Thaw
Robert Frost

To think to know the country and now know
The hillside on the day the sun lets go
Ten million silver lizards out of snow!
As often as I've seen it done before
I can't pretend to tell the way it's done.
It looks as if some magic of the sun
Lifted the rug that bred them on the floor
And the light breaking on them made them run.
But if I though to stop the wet stampede,
And caught one silver lizard by the tail,
And put my foot on one without avail,
And threw myself wet-elbowed and wet-kneed
In front of twenty others' wriggling speed,- 
In the confusion of them all aglitter,
And birds that joined in the excited fun
By doubling and redoubling song and twitter,
I have no doubt I'd end by holding none.

It takes the moon for this. The sun's a wizard
By all I tell; but so's the moon a witch.
From the high west she makes a gentle cast
And suddenly, without a jerk or twitch,
She has her spell on every single lizard.
I fancied when I looked at six o'clock
The swarm still ran and scuttled just as fast.
The moon was waiting for her chill effect.
I looked at nine: the swarm was turned to rock
In every lifelike posture of the swarm,
Transfixed on mountain slopes almost erect.
Across each other and side by side they lay.
The spell that so could hold them as they were
Was wrought through trees without a breath of storm
To make a leaf, if there had been one, stir.
One lizard at the end of every ray.
The thought of my attempting such a stay!