Water and Ice ...

Greetings Everyone!

We are doing well and have been occupied with projects - as well as getting out and exploring.  With the recent snow fall - we have been playing with the snow machine - zooming around - middle age folks playing 'Easy Rider' - but without the bugs in our teeth.

Ernie putting up the interior walls of the shed - he's using recycled plywood.

Arctic entryway - the window we removed was to the right - its all boarded up now.  Come spring, we'll remove the door next to the boarded up window.

The window's new location in the shed.

My new waterhole - we used an auger to drill down 16 inches.

Ernie brought the snow machine down to the waterhole --
 to haul the water containers (100 gals) up to the cabin.

Ernie out on the lake taking ice depth measurements - Frying Pan Island is off to the right. 
Ernie took readings every 150 - 200 feet and I followed him on the snow machine.  My job was to place stakes in the holes. Ernie used a portable 13 inch drill bit - when the two battery's died out - he used an electric drill plugged into a power pack. Ernie drilled a minimum of 8 inches - every other hole was 12 -13 inched deep - he never 'hit' water. 

Me - placing a stake into the ice. 
 There is about 1 -2 inches of snow on the ice.  I had fun driving the snow machine across the ice. 
 I'm learning how to drive it - and its not too much different than a big, fat, flat motorcycle.

Starting out..placing a stake - Swan Cove is way in the back ground. 
 It was a beautiful day to be out on the lake - no winds and the temperature was 15 degrees F. 
While we were on the ice - an eagle flew over - very majestic.

I wish the English language had a multitude of descriptive terms to use to describe the snow - like the Eskimos have.  The snow is so very different - sometimes the snow appears like interlocking crystals - and even those are different.  The snow changes according to temperature - wish I could describe them - I suppose the closest I could get would be - some are like salt grains - others are similar to coarse brown sugar - but even those terms don't describe the snows uniqueness.

One reader had a question - so I'll response here:  Question from reader: With all your planning for menu's, what do you eat for breakfast?  Answer:  Well, here is an idea - some days we eat Sourdough pancakes or waffles, oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit, scrambled eggs with lox or sausage and toast, yogurt with blueberry muffins - all breakfasts include a canned fruit of peaches or pears and coffee.

Also, we'd like to thank each of you for checking in with us and following our adventures.  Take Care!!