Heading back to the cottage after a 6 month absence—so many questions.

Will it still be there? If so, what damage? How many trees down? How bad the erosion? What insurmountable problems will be encountered hooking up the water system? What will be changed on the Lane. And, of course, what will the water level be?

By way of answer: everything survived the fearsome winter. Cottage and garage fine, J & ME's place fine. No major trees down. Just the usual erosion. The swales full and the rivulets flowing. The Kagawong River a raging torrent. The Bay about half ice. The Christian's place for sale (no details yet).

And we have hot and cold running water! The carefully designed water system continues to work—using the guzzler to get the water up to the pump, and then using the pump to pump up to the house. And how sweet it is. The only casualty this year being the upstairs toilet, which is significantly cracked. Either bad winterizing on my part or weak antifreeze.

I had to wade through some ice floes to place the foot valve out in deep enough water, and even wearing John's chest waders, I came out of the water with my skin glowing red. But, well worth it.

All quiet tonight—the only sounds a light patter of drizzle on the metal roof, the babbling of the brooks flowing down the bluff to the Lake, and the tinkle of brash ice breaking up and melting away.

The woodburning stove is glowiing red hot, and 3 electric radiators are cranking out heat, and already there is a noticable difference between the inside and outside of the house. Of course, it will take days to get the massive heat sink of the concrete floor up to a comfortable range. But, as I may have mentioned, we have hot and cold running water.

And, the water is up, the water in the Lake that is. Not way up, but up some, and this is still early in the water cycle. The level should continue to rise for the next two months and will, perhaps reach the long term average. It depends on spring rain, of course, but, as I write this, there is a drumming on the roof as heavier rain comes down. (Pax just went under a bed.)

Good to be here. Long drive, being done driving two hours before acutal arrival. But once here, it feels good—back home, as though we'd never left. So, tonight, snuggled into a chilly cottage, with a lively fire in the stove, some hot tea, the immense quiet, and hot and cold running water.

Little Current, with iceberg floating down the channel.

Unknown creature wandering out on the ice between Tyson's and Thompson's—smaller than a bear, but pretty big.

A familiar resident, looking good after the long winter.

And, winter's remnants on the front deck.