Dec 18 - and up we go

Sandy wanted a Christmas tree; I was ok with that as long as a) it was much shorter than prior years and b) I wasn't doing it alone.

Well, we have a Christmas tree.  It's about 16' tall.  I guess I failed the prime directive !

We have quite the skating rink out front.  How do you measure skating rinks -- 2 miles by 1 mile ? more ?  We could skate to the lodge if we had skates. 

I had taken the drill with auger bit out earlier and measured 6"-8" as I walked across the lake.

Here's what a website in Minnesota says for new, clear ice.  What's out front has layers so it's not quite the same:

2" or less - STAY OFF
4" - Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5" - Snowmobile or ATV
8" - 12" - Car or small pickup
12" - 15" - Medium truck

I guess that we're getting well into car range as it would have added an inch or so overnight and continue to build with the cold.  As long as we don't get any significant snow (and there's none in the forecast), we'll keep building ice without slush.  

All that glare ice made bringing a tree back much easier and made it much easier for Abby -- no snow to stick between her toes.  We walked across the lake, cut down a likely looking suspect and I dragged it across.  You can't drag a tree in snow.  Last year I came back and got a tarp, wrapped up the tree and dragged it across.  This year that wasn't necessary.

We stood the tree up and once all the dripping was finished, i.e. in the evening, I did my safety ties at the top.  Today we'll decorate the tree.

Dinner was a treat -- fresh caught Northern Pike.  Yup, the ice fishing season is well underway.  I'll have two rigs back out there today as well. 

It's cold out there now, 8F or so, -12C or so.  It's supposed to go up to the teens F today and then back to about 6F tonight.  It then starts to warm heading towards Christmas and I can't see any further ahead than that.  No real snow in the forecast. 

I can see the slightest sliver of moon ahead of me right now, straight out through my office window.

Onward ...