The second photo (also Lake Superior) is one of a cove of ice in mid-April 2009 located at "The Island" in Marquette city limits. I wish the camera could have captured the neon blue glow radiating from the ice. Supermans' lair from an older movie comes to mind. It was unworldly. You can also see how the ice stretches out to the horizon line in the background.
This third photo was taken just this past week (March 2010), out by the oardocks
, on the way to the Island.A Polar Bear plunge was taking place. Now mind you, the average temperature of the lake is around 40F, however being March it is much more likely around the mid 30's. You can still see some chunks of ice (white) next to the oardock, and out past into the lake. And yes those are sand covered chunks of ice on the beach. Even if it was in the high 50's that day, you gotta give these guys some kudos for fortitude!
Our temperatures have been way above normal for pre-spring (March 21st), and most of our snow, which was quite plentiful this winter has melted. There is still snow in the woods, but that is also starting to diminish. At this time last year we were still locked in ice, windy and FREEZING cold. It just makes you want to go out and plant or start some seedlings in the greenhouse......but.....calmer minds must prevail. Even if it is an El Nino spring, the last hard frost moon is the last week of May. There's probably one good snow storm left out there somewhere. AND it is Marquette, where the weather can change 20 times a day. It just proves we need to get some heat in the little greenhouse & put up a hightunnel.
