Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Early Winter Reboot

Around these parts we went from 8 degrees F. with more than a half-foot of snow on the ground Sunday morning to 56 degrees F. with almost bare ground in the span of 48 hours.  The Assabet River on Tuesday morning was close to ice free from Gleasondale down to the mouth of Elizabeth Brook where a thin mat of ice spanned the river (opening photo)...Russell's Bridge is in the distance.  The ice sheet in the shallow bay at Crow Island needed a nudge or two before granting passage.  Surface water was entering the river from every source, including ephemeral ones.  One such small stream provided an easily accessible harbor...

The portal to Fort Meadow Brook remains open...
...though headroom was just a tad inadequate for this paddler.

The outlet from Lake Boon at Barton Road...
...provided an appreciation for the height of water on the other side of the road atop the earthen dam.

Gathered some trash noted to be on the move...
...which included a "ducky race" survivor bearing number 1706.  Somehow he escaped the post-race roundup and continued exploring the river.

As to the winter reboot, it wasn't I who pushed the button...however, I applaud whoever did...as it allowed mid-fifty degree warmth and open water which sure felt great, even if only for one day.

Of course the rebooted winter returned this morning with a fresh couple of inches of white stuff.  I take comfort though in knowing that, as of today, there's only 100 days until spring arrives.  Let the countdown begin.

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