Waiting for winter

Ice "beads" forming at the base of water weeds

(This was supposed to be posted November 20th) We wrenched our fishing boat out of the thin ice along the shore yesterday, and put away the icicle-covered outboard motor for the winter. We can still get off the island if we really want to, by rowing to shore, but we don't want to.

We have plenty of provisions, including two boxes of powdered milk which, we've discovered, is a very good substitute for skim milk. Running out of milk used to be the one thing that drove us to the mainland as quickly as possible after the lake iced up. That, and Gary's need for minnows for ice fishing. We thought we might need to get a dairy goat, but then we found powdered milk, which is much cheaper (but not as engaging). We have enough food for at least 20 dinners, and a stock of hard-to-make-at-home things, like Puff Corn and beer. I'm finally, at age 55, becoming a more confident cook, and have enough basic things on hand -- garlic, onions, pasta, tomatoes (canned), cheeses of various types, potatoes, milk, eggs, frozen seafood, canned seafood, frozen vegetables -- to make pasta dishes, soups, and hot dishes for weeks.

Being stuck on an island is one of the most freeing things I've ever experienced. There's no temptation to go anywhere, and that alone is such a joy. You finally work your way to the bottom of your freezer and pantry so you can start fresh. No one can stop by, so you can let the house and yourself go even more than you usually do. Being stuck on an island for a week or two generally gives you time to catch up with yourself. Even if you find you're spending your days doing the same chores you do on "normal" days, at least you discover that, given unlimited time and no pressure, you still aren't inclined to write a novel. It's good to know.

Saturday nights we have a weekly sauna. I don't know why saunas aren't wildly popular everywhere above the 45th parallel, because the knowledge that at least once a week you'll be warmed to your core makes cold weather almost bearable. Walking around outside, too, when the temperature is 15 degrees F and you're wearing only a pair of boots, makes you feel very much in control of the elements -- for a couple of minutes, anyway. 




Not much ice on the lake, just a bit around the shorelines. This morning I was able to step on the ice a couple feet from shore, with my knee-high rubber boots on, before it started to crack.