Today I hiked the frozen lake west from the studio and rounded the peninsula to the slough. There are several springs in the area creating a river of overflow on the ice, and it isn’t safe to traverse. Now I know where the ducks are spending their time, and why they fly low over our yard in the evening. It is a short straight line from our yard to this spot, and quite secure hidden in the woods.
Yesterday’s blog I wrote about the Muskrat “pushups” scattered about the surface of the ice, looking a lot like horse dung. This is a rather large one, about 3′ across, and is made up of weeds and grasses pulled from the bottom of the lake. It is a fine spot to take a rest, feed, and a breathing hole for the Muskrats who live mostly underwater. There is so much to see along the lake in the spring.
Gail Niebrugge, artist
