And then it froze...

Very photo-heavy today!

After the thaw last week, we had the freeze, which turned the fields into ice rinks. It was all very picturesque. Here is a view from by the creek. Once the water levels had receded, the ice layer on top collapsed downwards...

Spot the Tristan!

The dogs walked gingerly on the smoothest of the ice. Sophie decides to come towards me...

...and speeds up just a bit, wagging her tail. The claws must give good traction, since neither dog has wiped out. I like it when Sophie smiles at me like this.

Tristan on his own personal skating rink (which needs a going-over with the Zamboni!)

Off wandering again.

The hardwood lot "next door" was completely flooded when the river broke its banks.

Now you can skate amongst the trees! I have not done this. My skating abilities are such that I would more likely skate face-first INTO a tree.

Weird wood formation from a tree that has shuffled off this mortal coil.

This is the woodlot path on the east side of our property. On the left is the neighbours' (who live on a farm way across the street) hardwood forest, on the right is our softwood (white spruce, white pine, cedar) woodlot. The river flooded so far up that the whole path has turned to ice.


The creek, with the icy top falling in on itself after the water level dropped down a couple of feet.

Sun on ice. So pretty!

My feet, glad in their cheap knock-off Yak Trax!

The dogs decide to head home. They were breakng through the ice, making crunching noises as they walked.

I do believe these buds are pussywillows! Either the thing is confused, or spring really is coming. Eventually.

We did this when we walked on the ice the first day after it formed, when there was still some water underneath and it wasn't so solidly frozen as it is now.

Another "skating" rink in the back corner of the fields.

And here are four pictures to show you how attractive and unique ice can look!

Sorry, no Sock Monkeys today. Happy February!