Winter Has Arrived!

As I write this, if I but lift my eyes, I can gaze upon a winter wonderland. While some were predicting a drier than last winter for our area (can't say I blame them, it sure took winter a while to come), the snow situation is DEFINITELY looking up.

In fact, we had a harder time getting in to the lodge than normal this year. For starters, on the heels of the snow came the wind. I mean WIND! In an area where the wind can really blow, this was incredible. It shreaked. It howled. It rushed down the side of Mt. Jefferson turning a usually peaceful area into a howling wilderness.

So, while we were ready to go - and even made three attempts to head this way, it was not until the fourth (God blessed us with a nice day and kind friends to help for this one) we finally made the trip. On our first first attempt, Craig got stuck on a powder sled (supposed to handle this kind of stuff) with no load on behind and only a few miles from our starting point.

On the second attempt we couldn't even see good enough to get the sleds loaded. The third went much like the second - thus that day was shot. However, we had reason to be thankful when we discussed the trail with a fellow user the following day.

Seems like he 'had' to get in - so he did. And, coming back out, with two male adults to handle any trail problems, it took him 4 hours to cover the last two miles due to WIND and getting stuck constantly in the powdery snow!

In addition the wind did a number on the snow which had fallen. From contouring a flat hillside into hundreds of concrete-surfaced humps and wind-scoured dips to piling powder in the most unexpected places, our trail had taken on some new dimisions. Since then, however, we have received some nice, gentle, straight-falling-down powder which has gone a long way toward covering the bare spots and smoothing the rough ones.

We are thankful! And, I'm enjoying some wonderful cross country skiing, to boot. As always, I am blessed to be the

Lady of the Lake

Weather Forecasts

Last winter we barely saw the sun. Blue was more often our mood than the color of the sky. However, back to back snow storms blanketed our landscape in a liberal cover of white, blessing us with one of the best snow years in recent history.

Then, of course, that winter to remember had a hard time letting us go. Not until June did the sun finally win the battle and sunshine and blue skies returned to delight our days. Our world turned from brown and white to a virtual kaleidoscope of color almost overnight.

I am not big on weather forecasters. I continue to stand amazed that someone so seemingly inept at their job continues to get paid. Furthermore, people actually continue to believe what they say.

Me, I look out the window in the morning. That is my weather forecast. It is rarely wrong. Are there clouds? Probably at least partly cloudy today. Is the sky an unmarked blue? Probably sunny today. Is it mid-June with a growing cloud bank on the horizon? Better plan on a thunderstorm. Is the sky heavy and dark? Expect some weather today.

It is a simplistic system. It does not work well for predicting future weather patterns. Besides it does not give me a clue what is happening underneath other ‘patches of sky', but it is usually quite accurate for that particular day under my particular ‘patch of sky'.

So, I look to the sky and I see lots of blue, or maybe some light clouds, and I figure we are not getting any snow today. Quite frankly, I figure we had winter until almost summer, and we complained. I supposed winter's delay is just recompense for our lack of gratitude last spring.

One way or the other, winter is bound to come. How much snow we get, well, that is Someone else's hands. Regardless, God is in heaven. All is right with the world (even if it sometimes seems otherwise). And, I am thankful to remain the

Lady of the Lake