December 2

[What our visit to the Douglas County Historical Society’s annual bake sale wrought.]

December 6

[The Iceman Cometh!]

December 7

[Digging out in shifts this morning. Thigh deep drifts on the upper third of the driveway onto the slab. Was able to dig out enough to get Ruthie out the “side door” for an 8:30 doctor’s appointment. Still a lot of shoveling to do in minus 9 windchill.]

[Looks like critters paid us a visit.]

[The whiteout continues – driving into town on CR 22 for the monthly class reunion luncheon.]

[And arriving for our debut at the new Boulder Tap House.]

[These people were allegedly my classmates . . . but I don’t remember?]

[A funny thing happens when the temperature keeps trending toward single digits . . . your lake begins to freeze over?]

[Amazing performance on Pearl Harbor Day.  And we have a dual connection.  It was a collaboration between the School District and Theatre L’Homme Dieu, and as executive director Nicole Mulder noted it was TLHD’s first winter play in 57 years.  Nicole incidentally is the daughter-in-law of my daily walking partner, the Boy Tenor.  And Abby Williams, local hockey legend, just happens to be the niece of the play’s creator and director, Peter Rothstein, of Grand Rapids fame (and one time neighbor to frequent Alexandria entertainer, Anthony Miltich).  The degrees of Kevin Bacon here are off the charts.]

December 9

[Based on our view from the SW shore, it appears beautiful Lake Darling has totally iced over for the season. It happens. We have friends who live just about a mile up the shoreline who came home, for good, on Pearl Harbor Day to spend their first winter in Minnesota in over 20 years. Beginning today and until next Friday the forecast is very cold . . . then beginning next Friday, even colder as the polar vortex arrives! Welcome home Pris and Rock!]

[Tonight was the umpteenth annual dinner for “Those Who Stay Behind” – members of the senior golf league who don’t flee south at the first sign of a snowflake. It’s held at Arrowwood on pasta and stir fry night the 2nd Friday in December. I believe we had 27 attendees. I forgot to perform my cub reporter duties until people were leaving. Oy. Thanks again to Al and Diann for their annual homemade taste of the grape. Oh, and on the way home tonight, the car registered our first below zero temperature reading of the season.]

December 11

[The high school carolers performed at the winery!  Most of my wardrobe is older than they are.]

[Kim took out the grill area in the corner during the week.]

[And then a full moon over a totally frozen lake.]

December 12

[Good morning, Hoar Frost! Walked to the end of the street for these at 6:30 – it’s below zero but my bathrobe, stocking cap, and and slip-ons without socks were good ’nuff. Can hardly wait for daylight!]

[And then we had sunrise . . . if only momentarily.]

[This is our red maple from the fall.]

[The Boys of ’65 had our monthly dine-out at the Knotty Pine Grill in Brandon.]

[And little Mayo brought presents!  The Boys in ’65 and ’15.]

[A feathered friend]

December 13

[More birds of a feather . . . the Super wants to make sure the little guys have fine dining all winter.]

December 14

[Go Cardinals!]

[And I actually saw this eagle soar in for the landing – just too many branches to get a good shot.]

[And just a couple minutes later, he left again.]

See the snow fall.  Gee the snow is clumsy.  ~  (As I recall, a childhood school friend)

Up Next:  Appears to be some games on the calendar.