After the Fire

This photo was taken from I-75, north of 4 Mile Rd. two days after the fire. It was started from sparks from a train and burned 1200 acres.

Crawford County Fire Today

There was a large fire today north of Higgins Lake. 4 Mile Road and I-75. They had to close I-75 due to low visibility.

For photos go to:

http://www.tv7-4.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=125903

Photos and videos:

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=133909

Forecast is for rain tonight - we need it!

Ice is gone

Ice is gone now. Time to think about opening the cabin again, finding a rental, or making a camping reservation.

Ice breaking up

The rain seems to have worked it's magic and the ice is breaking up. This picture was taken about 6:30 this evening. There has been a rain snow mix all day.




I noticed the ice is gone off Houghton Lake while over there today.

Last Night

Last night there was a brief torrential rain pounding on the roof. Later, it was followed by thunder and lightning. There is a steady dry wind all day long. Of course, this is the time of year for increased fire danger. Please be careful.

There is a great reduction in the amount of snow, but it is still hanging on.

No one thinks we have seen the last of the snow yet.

Could it be....spring?

Two days in a row!

Another beautiful day. It is still 50 degrees out at 9:30pm. It was in the 60's all day. I saw my neighbors today....sounds funny, but I really saw them, waved and hollered "Happy Spring!" I had both my house doors open and the one window that doesn't have shrink-wrap on it. The cat sat in that window all afternoon

Went for a ride (with the roof open) to Houghton Lake for grocery shopping, cleaned the carport, walked around out back, and bar-b-qued some burgers on the grill.

Ahhh, spring just might be ahead somewhere. I am not stupid though, I am sure we will get more snow before spring is official.

Today on the Lake

Looks like you can see a storm (rain) coming in.

And no shanties.
The road end I frequent has been taped off. Either to prevent damage and erosion from the vehicles and/or to caution people from driving on the ice. Technically, it is late in the season for being on the ice. And the wind and rain we will be getting tonight and tomorrow will weaken and shift the ice.

Plenty of Ice on Higgins Lake

I walked the girls twice yesterday out on the lake. It was a beautiful day but a frigid 23 degrees.

There are some icy patches, but mostly covered in snow and lots of room to run. In the morning there was no wind and we could hear the air moving under the ice. Kinda a spooky glug glug that makes you turn to see what's coming. Even the dogs stopped to look, but, of course, there was nothing to see.

(this picture was taken March 14, 2008 when shanties were still allowed)

I couldn't help thinking about the show "Ice Truckers" on Discovery while I walked. They taught me that when the temps get in the 30s, and the sun shines through the ice, it will melt the ice from the bottom up, or from underneath upwards. If you haven't watched the show before, please do, it is very interesting to learn about how they can drive hundreds of miles on nothing but lakes for two months each year.

We spent an hour out there walking around. There are more cracks and the ice is started to push up onto the beach. All shanties are off the ice, but people can (and do) still drive their cars out there to ice fish. The ice is still plenty thick enough.

This has been an unusually long and expensive winter. Between heating the house and paying to have the drive plowed.

The forecast calls for 32 degrees and rain. It will be a fun drive to work in the morning.